Relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia have been strained, at best, since the end of the border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Recent border skirmishes between the two countries have raised concerns at the United Nations (UN) that another war could break out. The United States has had a strong interest in the area for over a century and, more importantly, has close ties with Ethiopia. The recent hostilities were provoked by Ethiopia, and with Eritrea asking the United Nations for help in the matter, the United States must step back and evaluate both sides of the issue to aid in the peaceful resolution of the conflict between the two countries . Eritrea's history is linked to its location on the Red Sea. Throughout history, especially after the opening of the Suez Canal, Eritrea has been invaded numerous times due to its strategic position on the Red Sea and its mineral resources. After the opening of the Suez Canal, many European powers raced to conquer territory along Africa's Red Sea and Indian Ocean coasts to establish ports on their trade routes. Italy officially colonized Eritrea in 1890 and together with Ethiopia and Somalia it became known as Italian East Africa. During World War II, the British expelled the Italians from Africa through the Battle of Keren, and in 1951, Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia, which eventually led to its annexation as an Ethiopian province in 1952. After a war lasting 30 years, Eritrea gained independence and international recognition in 1993. In May 1998, Eritrea crossed the Ethiopian border attacking Tigrayan militia and security forces in the Badme region. This hostile act triggered the Eritrean-Ethiopian war. After realizing they were about to get lost... half of the paper... adme: The bitter war continues along the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Boundary and Security Bulliten .Fund, I.M. (2011, April 1). International Monetary Fund. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from World Economic Outlook database, Ethiopia: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=52&pr.y= 2&sy =2008&ey=2011&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=644&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=#cs1Odula, T. (2012, March 15). Eritrea: Ethiopia attacked us over a border dispute. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from Yahoo! News: http://news.yahoo.com/eritrea-ethiopia-attacked-us-over-border-dispute-023009269.htmlTronvoll, TN (2000). Brother at war. Making sense of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. Wikipedia. (2012, March 16). Ethiopia. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia