A Terminal Crisis? Examining the Breakdown of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Dispute Resolution Process

This case study examines the breakdown of the dispute resolution process that was intended to lay the foundations for a reconciliation between Eritrea and Ethiopia following their bitter border war of 1998 to 2000. The paper identifies general lessons for future third party settlements. In particular, the Eritrea-Ethiopia case suggests that factors such as the scope of the third party's mandate, the composition of ad hoc panels, and the transparency and duration of the panel's activities might affect the ultimate success of territorial dispute resolution.