When Eritreans went to the polls in April 1993, their overwhelming vote in favour of becoming a sovereign State brought a formal end to one of Africa's longest wars. A major success for United Nations electoral assistance operations, the referendum also contributed greatly to stability in the Horn of Africa during a particularly volatile period in the region's history & provided yet another illustration of the intrinsic links between democratization, development & peace. The United Nations & the Independence of Eritrea includes more than 40 key documents relating to the Organization's long involvement with the question of Eritrea, as well as an introduction by then Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali & a detailed chronology of events.