Cypriot appointed head of UNMEE Addis Ababa office

Joseph Stephanides, of Cypriot origin, has been appointed head of the Addis Ababa office of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said.

The spokesman noted that the appointment was effective as of 15 August 2006.

In June 2000, after two years of fighting in a border dispute, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a cessation of hostilities agreement following proximity talks led by Algeria and the Organization of African Unity.

In July, the Security Council set up (United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea) UNMEE to maintain liaison with the parties and establish a mechanism for verifying the ceasefire. In September 2000, the Council authorized deployment within UNMEE of up to 4,200 military personnel to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to help ensure the observance of security commitments.