Eritrea: Land ofCan-Do People!
(Yikealo! kikewn eyu

ERI-NEWSkemey zeykewn!)

National Service: A toolfor EconomicDevelopment, NationalCohesion and theDefence of Sovereignty

Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to AU
and UNECA
Press Section
Eritreans Held Europe-Wide Demonstration Against theUN COI Report

Vol 2. Issue 36
08 July 2015

Thousands of Eritreans and friends ofEritrea in Europe held a rally inGeneva, Switzerland, on 22 June 2015,
to express their indignation at the fallacious and defamatory reports issued bythe UN ‘Commission of Inquiry (COI)and the Special Rapporteur (SR)’.

Inside this issue:

The demonstrators underlined thatEritrea safeguards the basic rights of
its citizens, as a consequence of which
it has earned the reputation of being an The petition urged the UN Humanisland of peace and security in a war- Rights Council to:torn region. The reports issued by thesereject the Report of the Commisentities with dubious credibility are ♦sion of Inquiry on Humanpolitically motivated and deliberately
Rights in Eritrea and the Special
designed to tarnish Eritrea’s image.
Rapporteurcall for the unconditional withThese schemes are woven to deflect ♦drawal of Ethiopian forces frominternational attention from Ethiopia’s
sovereign Eritrean territories,
continued occupation of sovereignandEritrean territories in violation of thecall for an immediate lifting of
EEBC arbitral award as well as to ♦the unjust sanctions imposed on
create another instrument to harass
Eritrea.
Eritrea which remains under unjust UN
sanctions.

At UN HRC,
Eritrea Reaffirmed
its Commitment tothe Promotion of 2
Human Rights,
Rejected PoliticallyMotivated Mechanisms
Eritrea Investingin Its Youth toSecure a Brighter
Future3

Eritrean YouthMaking History at 4
the Tour de France

Contact Addresses:
Tel: +251-116620052
Fax:+251-116620011
Email:eritreanaumission@gmail.com
P.o.Box: 5527
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Eritrean citizens residing around theglobe sent messages of solidarity totheir compatriots who staged the demonstrations in Geneva.

Eritrean Mission toAU& ECA

Representative of the demonstratorsdelivered to UN officials petitions
signed by more than 19,000 people.

@EritreaAU

Vol 2. Issue 36, 08 July 2015

Page 2Eri-News

At UN HRC, Eritrea Reaffirmed its Commitment to the Promotion of Human Rights,
Rejected Politically Motivated Mechanisms
An Eritrean Delegation led by Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu participated in the 29th Session ofthe UN Human Rights Council (HRC), held inGeneva. The Delegation delivered two statements
to the Council on the Report of the Commission ofInquiry and the draft resolution on Eritrea.

Its economy is progressing steadily andready for take-off after much hardwork. To ignore all these realities andfalsely indict Eritrea to advance the political agenda of certain powers will thus constitute a huge travesty of justice that cannot
be excused under any pretext.”
Excerpts from the Statement delivered to the Council on 2nd of July:“Eritrea has rejected the politically motivatedmechanisms and the prescriptive reports and recommendations of the COI and SR on Eritrea.
This draft resolution is only meant to legitimize
these unfounded, biased and shunned reports andmy delegation thus calls upon members of theCouncil to oppose the draft resolution.

Excerpts from the Statement delivered by Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu to the Council, on 23June:“The bleak narrative on human rights in Eritreathat the Commission has portrayed is widely atvariance with the prevailing reality in the country. Yes there are shortcomings and I have nointention to claim that everything is rosy in mycountry. In any case, these have been and arebeing addressed within the UPR process. Eritrea
is indeed a young nation that is facing numerous
problems; a big part of which has to do with externally-induced, existential, challenges. Thestatutory, 18-month duration, National Service
had been extended because of Ethiopia’s belligerent appetites, postures and designs. But Eritrea has reverted to expansive demobilization
when and if conditions permit and is currently
exerting efforts to ensure educational and employment opportunities for those who fulfill theirnational service obligations. The fact is, in spiteof all these challenges, Eritrea’s institutions are
evolving at a reasonable and healthy pace.

“The resilience of the people and governmenthas been ascertained as a reality and neither will
Eritrea surrender its sovereign rights nor will it
abandon its independent political stance under
any name including under the pretence of humanrights.
“Eritrea is, however, earnestly redoubling its development efforts to achieve a qualitative leap in
the next 3-4 years. The mainstreaming of humanrights is being strengthened as an integral part ofthis process and reflects our commitments andefforts to promote human rights and fundamentalfreedoms. On the other hand, engagement, cooperation and institutional links on human rights
has also been consolidated and expanded. Eritrea
believes that the draft resolution is a recipe for asustained confrontation with no dividend to thepromotion of human rights.”
The full texts of the Statements of the Eritrean Delegation delivered at the session can be accessed from:http://shabait.com/news/local-news/20049-statement-oferitreas-delegation-on-the-commissions-report
http://shabait.com/news/local-news/20100-29-session-of-thehrc-statement-of-the-eritrean-delegation-on-the-draftresolution-on-eritrea

Vol 2. Issue 36, 08 July 2015

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Eritrea Investing in Its Youth to Secure a Brighter Future
Human capital development is at the center of Eritrea’s development strategy. Eritrea provides its citizens withfree, accessible and quality education from pre-elementary to post-graduate levels. Over the last two weeks,more that 3200 youth graduated from Tertiary and Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
Institutions. More than 40% of the graduates are female.

Eritrean Institute of Technology (EIT)

Asmara College of Health Science

1,283 students graduated from the Eritrean Instituteof Technology (EIT) with Master’s, 1st Degree andDiploma in the fields of Engineering, Science andEducation. 10, 901 students have graduated from EIT
over the past eight years.

416 students graduated from the Asmara College ofHealth Science with 1st Degree and Diploma in
Patient Care, Pharmacy, Public Health and HealthAssistance. More than 2,000 students have graduatedfrom the College since its opening in 2005.

Adi-Keih College of Arts and SocialSciences
350 students graduated from Adi-Keih College ofArts and Social Sciences with 1st Degree, Diplomaand Certificate. The areas of study include
Archeology, Anthropology, Law, Eritrean Languages
and Literature, Political Science and International
Relations, Sociology and Social Works, Journalism
and Mass Communication, and Fine Arts.

Asmara Community College
Asmara Community College graduated 440 candidateteachers with Diploma and Certificate. 326 of thegraduates are female.

TVET♦♦♦♦

167 students graduated from Dombosco Technical School, with certificate in the fields ofMechanics, Wood and Steel Works, Electricityand Electronics…
21 students graduated from Halai Technical
School with certificate in General Metal Works
446 students graduated from Denden Commercial School with certificate in Accounting, Secretarial Science and Book Keeping.
150 students graduated from Mai-Habar Technical School with certificate in Mechanics,
Building, Drafting, Electronics, Plumbing,
General Metal and Wood Works, Electricityand Surveying.

Vol 2. Issue 36, 08 July 2015

Page 4Eri-News

Eritrean Youth Making History at the Tour de France
Eritrean professional cyclists Daniel Teklehaymanot and Merhawi Kudus are making history at
this year’s Tour de France for their country andAfrica.

The two pioneers are participating in the prestigious race representing their South African team
MTN Qhubeka, the first team from Africa to compete in the more than a century of the Tour’s history.

President Isaias Afwerki received the cyclists before their departure and awarded them racing bicycles and other gifts in recognition to their outstanding achievements.
Merhawi is the youngest participant in this year’s
race, while Daniel has already been identified as
one of the top five mountain climbers.

Eritreans Demonstrating in Geneva, 22 June 2015

Vol 2. Issue 36, 08 July 2015