All conflict related developments around the world in December 2004 were overshadowed by the devastating natural disaster of the 26 December Indian Ocean tsunami, with a death toll now estimated at over 150,000.  The longer term implications of the tragedy for conflicts in the countries most severely hit - in particular Indonesia's Aceh and Sri Lanka - are as yet unclear: much will depend on how the relief and reconstruction effort is handled. Elsewhere, conflict situations deteriorated in six countries in December 2004: Ecuador, Iraq, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. In Sudan, the long-awaited signing on 31 December in Naivasha of a final peace accord between the government and Southern SPLA rebels was offset by deteriorating security in Darfur. Three conflict situations improved in December: Afghanistan, Georgia and Ukraine. For January 2005, CrisisWatch identifies Kosovo as a Conflict Risk Alert, or situation at particular risk of new or significantly escalated conflict in the coming month. No new Conflict Resolution Opportunities are identified for January.