Haile Selassie I
The Emperor continued to be a staunch ally of the West although he pursued a firm policy of decolonisation in Africa, which was still largely under European colonial rule. The United Nations conducted a lengthy inquiry regarding Eritrea's status, with each of the superpowers vying for a stake in the state's future. The British administrator suggested Eritrea's partition between Sudan and Ethiopia to separate Christians and Muslims. The idea was instantly rejected by Eritrean political parties, as well as the United Nations.