Politics, law and the limitations of international arbitration at The Hague

The peace process arrived haltingly in the Horn. In August 1999 Ethiopia and Eritrea accepted the ‘Framework Agreement’ proposed by the OAU and the African Union, but because Ethiopia rejected the technical arrangements for its implementation the war continued (International Crisis Group 2003). In May 2000 Ethiopia launched a massive offensive which secured a great deal of the disputed territory on the border and forced Eritrea to sue for peace. The following month a ceasefire was agreed (the Algiers Agreement).