A/HRC/41/53 III. Regional developments 7. The reporting period was marked by significant developments in the Horn of Africa. Since the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia was signed in July 2018, the two countries have continued to work towards improving their diplomatic ties and strengthened their efforts to achieve sustainable peace. 1 Eritrea has also improved its relations with Djibouti and Somalia, and Eritrean officials have participated in efforts to boost regional integration and increase economic ties in the wider East Africa region. The Government of Eritrea has shown an increased willingness to normalize its bilateral relations with a number of other countries. Several high-level delegates, envoys, diplomats and parliamentarians from various countries have visited Asmara in recent months. Acknowledging those positive developments, in November 2018 the Security Council unanimously voted to lift sanctions against Eritrea. 2 In March 2019, the SecretaryGeneral appointed a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa to work with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and relevant subregional and regional organizations in consolidating recent gains in peace and security (S/2019/227 and S/2018/955).3 8. After the signature of the above-mentioned Joint Declaration, air and land transport between Eritrea and Ethiopia resumed, allowing the free movement of people and goods. That development has brought new trade opportunities and economic exchanges, resulted in basic food and household items becoming more accessible in the main cities of Eritrea and led to a reduction in the prices of such items. At the grass-roots level, communities and families straddling the border have been able to reconnect. However, since December 2018 the Eritrean authorities have unilaterally closed various land border crossings with Ethiopia4 and reinstated the exit visa requirement for Eritrean nationals. 9. While this new political climate represents a pivotal time for the region, and for Eritrea in particular, there are various outstanding issues. At the time of writing, the peace process between Eritrea and Ethiopia has yet to be institutionalized through the adoption of a formal bilateral framework. Additionally, bilateral agreements regulating trade, tariffs and currencies have not yet been concluded. Importantly, both countries still have to officially demarcate the border and resolve their long-standing border dispute.5 10. Djibouti and Eritrea too have unresolved tensions, over a 2008 border dispute. In addition, Eritrea has yet to release information about Djiboutian prisoners of war who have been unaccounted for since the June 2008 clashes between the two countries . 6 After it lifted sanctions against Eritrea in November 2018, the Security Council invited the Secretary-General to keep the Council informed on the normalization of relations between the two countries.7 In February 2019, the Secretary-General indicated that Djibouti wished to have its border dispute with Eritrea resolved through a binding international arbitration (S/2019/154). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 In September 2018, both countries signed the Agreement on Peace, Friendship and Comprehensive Cooperation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Security Council resolution 2444 (2018). In October 2018, the Secretary-General expanded the remit of the Special Envoy for the Sudan and South Sudan to cover the Horn of Africa region. For example, in April 2019 the Eritrean authorities unilaterally closed the Oum Hajer-Humera border post, which connects Eritrea to the Tigray region of Ethiopia. In that respect, the implementation of the 2002 decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission on border demarcation is still pending. See decision regarding delimitation of the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, 13 April 2002, United Nations, Reports of International Arbitral Awards, vol. XXV, pp. 83–195. Security Council 2444 (2018), paras. 6 and 57. See also paras. 60–61 below. Security Council resolution 2444 (2018), para. 57. 3