CONVENTION Between Italy and Ethiopia for
the Settlement of the Frontier Between the
Italian Colony of Eritrea and the Provinces of
the Ethiopian Empire, Signed at Addis Ababa,
16th May, 1908
His Majesty Victor Emanuel, in his own name and in the name of his successors, by means of
his Representative in Adis Ababa, Cavaliere Giuseppe Colli di Felizzano, Captain of cavalry,
and His Majesty Menelik II, King of Kings of Abyssinia, in his own name and that of his
successors, desiring to regulate definitely the frontier between the Italian Colony of Eritrea and
the provinces of the Ethiopian Empire, have determined to sign the following Convention:-
- Art. I. From the most easterly point of the frontier established between the Colony of Eritrea
and Tigre by the Convention of the 10th July, 1900 the boundary proceeds in a south-easterly
direction, parallel to and at a distance of 60 kilometers from the coast, until it joins the frontier
of the French possessions of Somalia.
- Art. II. The two Governments undertake to fix the above mentioned frontier-line on the spot
by common accord and as soon as possible, adapting it to the nature and variation of the
ground.
- Art. III. The two Governments undertake to establish by a common accord and as soon as
possible the respective dependency of the limitrophe tribes on the frontiers on the basis of their
traditional and usual residence.
- Art. IV. The two Governments undertake to recognise reciprocally the ancient rights and
prerogatives of the limitrophe tribes without regard to their political dependence, especially as
regards the working of the salt plain, which shall, however, be subject to the existing taxes and
pasturage dues.
- Art. V. The two Governments formally undertake to exercise no interference beyond the
frontier-line, and not to allow their dependent tribes to cross the frontier in order to commit acts
of violence to the detriment of the tribes on the other side; but should questions or incidents
arise between or on account of the limitrophe tribes the two Governments shall settle them by
common accord.
- Art. VI. The two Governments mutually undertake not to take any action, nor to allow their
dependent tribes to take any action, which may give rise to questions or incidents or disturb the
tranquility of the frontier tribes.
- Art. VII. The present Convention shall be, as regards Italy, submitted to the approval of
Parliament and ratified by the King.
Done in duplicate and in identic terms in the two languages, Italian and Amharic. One copy
remains in the hands of the Italian Government, and the other in the hands of the Ethiopian
Government.
Given in the city of Adis Ababa, the 16th day of the month of May, 1908.
GIUSEPPE COLLI DI FELIZZANO.
(Seal of Menelik).