ERI-NEWS
Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Prepared by the Press Section of thePermanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to AU
and UNECA
Cabinet of Ministers Deliberated on Priority Programs forthe 2018 Budget YearVol 4. Issue 74
22 November 2017

The Eritrean Cabinet of Ministers in its
meeting held on 11 November 2017
extensively discussed
thepaperpresented by President Isaias Afwerki
regarding the structural adjustment andrevision of the existing budgetary
allocation in relation to priority development programs.

energy and electricity power supply,ensuring the supply of fuel and basic
Inside this issue:
consumer goods, investment on
livestock and marine resources, supply Eritrean Foreignof water for households consumption, Minister’s State2
ment at UNSC
agricultural and industrial developMeetingments, boosting the machinery andmodern production materials, restoring
Press Release theenvironment,
development
ofdamsUnwarranted
President Isaias referred the experience
andirrigation
systems,constructionandSanctions
on Eritrea 3
accumulated in the past 26 years in therenovation of roads, ports and airports, Must be Rescinded
implementation of large
constructionofresidential
scale developmental projects
houses, improvement of trans- Hirgigo Power Plant 4
and budgetary allocations
portation and communication Expanded with $98.6
and underlined the need forservices, increasing educational Million Investment
appropriate structural review
and health services, securing Broader Prospects forof the methodologies used so4
China-Eritrea
supply of medicines as well as
far for more effective utilizaFriendly Relations
importing of basic raw materials
tion of resources.
and construction equipments.
Cooperation between
Eritrea and Turkey 5
Expanding
Eritrean Community
Festivals in theKingdom of Saudi
ArabiaIn this vein, President Isaias stated theContact Addresses:
parameters and procedures followed for The Ministerial Cabinet then discussed
Tel: +251-116620052
thelarge
scale
development
projects
forbudget preparation require adjustment
Fax:+251-116620011
2018 and the indicative budgetary Email:eritreanaumission@and improvement.
gmail.com
allocation as well as source of funding;
P.o.Box: 5527
The President underlined that the prior- and the plans to increase revenue,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ity of priorities in the 2018 budget is reduce expenses and strengthen investsalary increment for employees in the ment.
Eritrean Mission topublic service.
AU& ECAThe Cabinet also discussed political,
The other priority development pro- diplomatic, and security developments@EritreaAUgrams are the expansion of renewablein the region.

Vol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017

6

Page 2Eri-News

Address by H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea, during the 8099th
Meeting of the United Nations Security Council, New York, 14 November 2017
Mr. President,
From the outset, I wish to congratulate you and Italyfor assuming the presidency of the Council for themonth of November.
I have the honor to address this meeting of the UN
Security Council on behalf of the people of Eritrea
who for over half a century has been at the forefront
in the struggle for peace and human dignity in theHorn of Africa.
Mr. President,
Again today, the Security Council has missed anotheropportunity to rectify its transgression against thepeople of Eritrea, and positively contribute to thesecurity in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, which
for long has been suffering from the debilitating
effects of the scourge of conflict, poverty andterrorism.
The Monitoring Group has for five years, including
this year, asserted that there is no evidence ofEritrean support to al-Shabab in Somalia, the principal justification invoked to impose the sanction. Thisshould have never come as a surprise as Eritrea’s
record in combating terrorism in the region is amatter of historical record.
With regard to Djibouti, it is unprecedented for aCouncil to sanction one party without any symmetry,especially when the dispute is under a mutuallyagreed mediation. The skewed manner in which theUN Security Council has been handling the disputecontinues to breed a sense of no obligation on thegovernment of Djibouti and to pursue a policy ofprovocation aimed at stirring tension, when in fact
the border between the two countries remains calm.
Moreover, Eritrea finds it ironic that the Council has
chosen to remain silent on Ethiopia’s illegal occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories for 15 years,
while it harasses Eritrea on account of a putative
border dispute with Djibouti.
The message from those who supported this resolution to the people of Eritrea is loud and clear: Eritrea
has done no wrong; nor has it violated UN Security
Council resolution, yet the sanctions will be kept

with the mere purpose of targeting Eritrea. Equally,
the message for the citizens of the region is clear:
there is no willingness from the Council to address thecore issues that are undermining peace and security inthe region. The emphasis by some Council members
about alleged support to armed group is inappropriate,
double standard, and unacceptable. It will reward,aggression, occupation, policy of destabilization andregime change; and provocation. It will encourage theperpetuation of zero-sum games.
This is unfortunate. More importantly, it will beviewed as discredit to this organ which is mandated
the critical task of maintaining international peace andsecurity.
Mr. President,
The Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region remains
volatile and fragile. Eritrea is making its modest but
significant contribution to stabilizing the region.
However, it is critical to examine whether the sanctionthat has been in place for the past eight years against
Eritrea is abating conflicts or fueling them. Evidently,
the sanction has worsened the situation by rewarding
an aggressor and breeding a sense of impunity onEthiopia. It meant the continuation of the conflict with
its resultant heavy price on the peoples of Ethiopia andEritrea as well as complicating the regional security
situation. Eritrea once again calls on the Council, in
the interests not only of Eritrea, but also Ethiopia, thesub-region, Africa and the Red Sea, to redress thiswrong.
Mr. President,
Regional peace and security in the Horn of Africa andVol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017

Contd. on page 3

Page 3Eri-News
Address by H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh... Contd. from page 2

the Red Sea is first and foremost the responsibility of
the countries in the region. Eritrea will continue its
constructive engagement and contribution towards
ensuring a peace, amity and progress in our region.
Eritrea’s conviction stems from the belief that a
conducive environment is essential to its all-inclusiveand people centered development.
I wish to conclude by thanking those delegations who
did not support this politically motivated and counterproductive resolution that the Council just adopted.
I thank you Mr. President

Press Release - Ministry of Information
Unwarranted Sanctions on Eritrea Must be Rescinded
The UN Security Council has been discussing, inthese past days, the “renewal of the sanctions onEritrea”. A draft resolution, which will essentiallyextend the unwarranted sanctions against Eritrea foranother year, has been worked out although it
contains a caveat for “review of the resolution”
sometime during the year.

AU Charters andthe Algiers Peace
Agreementthat
was brokered andguaranteed by theUNSC itself.
The Algiers Agreement contains explicit
provisions
that stipulate the invocation of Chapter VII of the UN
Charter by the UNSC to impose punitive measures onthe recalcitrant party. And, the UNSC knows full wellthat Ethiopia has indeed violated the Algiers Agreement and the related Arbitral (EEBC) Award tooccupy the sovereign land of its neigbbour and createa grave threat to regional peace and security.

As it will be recalled, the sanctions on Eritrea wereimposed in December 2009 under trumped up
charges of “Eritrea’s support to Al-Shebaab inSomalia”. That this allegation had no basis in lawand fact was known to the principal architects of theresolution as well as to vast members of the UNsystem. Nonetheless, Washington was doggedly
wedded at the time to a political agenda of“punishing Eritrea”. As it happened, it used its
diplomatic clout to ram through the resolution under But under relentless pressure from the US, the UNSC
dubious circumstances on Christmas Eve that year.
has chosen to close its eyes to date to this flagrantviolationof international law. On the other hand, theIt is almost eight years now since these sanctions
have remained in force to inculcate considerable UNSC continues to maintain the sanctions regime
damage to Eritrea. Virtually all member states today imposed on Eritrea that was originally concocted byacknowledge, without ambiguity, that these accusa- Washington in order to eviscerate Eritrea’s legal andtions are hollow indeed. Yet the UNSC continues to moral case and deflect attention from Ethiopia’s
invoke irrelevant and tangential issues to maintain flagrant violations of international law.
the illicit sanctions.
Even at this late hour, what is morally and legally
What is additionally appalling is the UNSC’s duplici- incumbent on the UNSC is rectification of thistous decision to invoke Chapter VII of the UN Char- injustice; not the extension of the unwarranted
ter and impose sanctions on Eritrea while it has sanctions under procedural and/or other untenable
shirked its responsibilities on a grave situation that ruses.
really merits its action.
Ministry of Information
Ethiopia continues to occupy, for more than 15 years Asmara
now -sovereign Eritrean lands in violation of the UN/ 13 November 2017Vol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017

Page 4Eri-News

Hirgigo Power Plant Expanded with $98.6 Million Investment
The electric power generation capacity of the Hirgigo
Power Plant has been augmented by 60% with aproject worth 98.6 million dollars. The project thatwas implemented by the Chinese SFECO Company
will upgrade the electric power supply by 46 megawatts.

The General Manager of SFECO, Mr. Chen Yu, on hispart, stated that the Company is proud for participatingin the development programs in Eritrea and commended the support they received from the differentstakeholders.

At the handing over ceremony conducted on 15November, in which Mr. Abraha Asfeha, Minister ofPublic Works, Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of PFDJ
Economic Affairs and other senior Government andFront officials were present, Gen. Sebhat Efrem,
Minister of Energy and Mines, said that the installation of the generators is part of the huge investment
the Government is making to ensure power supply inthe country.
Gen. Sebhat also commended the Chinese company
for the timely implementation of the project and formaintaining the existing generators in partnershipwith Eritrean experts.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China,
Mr. Yang Zigang, indicated that the installation ofthe two new generators attests to the growing cooperation between the two countries.

Eng. Abraham Woldemicael, General Manager of theEritrean Electric Corporation, indicated that the installation of the generators coupled with the ongoing otherprojects will contribute in augmenting the capacity ofpower supply at national level.

Broader Prospects for China-Eritrea Friendly Relations
Excerpts from an article by H.E. Mr. Yang Zigang,
Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea, published onshbait.org on 11 November 2017
“From October 18th to 24th, the 19th National
Congress of the Communist Party of China wassuccessfully convened in Beijing. The Congress is ofgreat significance as it was held during the decisive
stage in building a moderately prosperous society inall respects and at a critical moment as socialism withChinese characteristics has entered a new era. The
congress reviewed the work of the Party over the past
five years, outlined new plans for China’s future
development, revised the constitution of the CPC,
and elected new central leaders of the Party, withMr. Xi Jinping being re-elected as the General
Secretary.

“President Isaias forwarded two congratulatory lettersto General Secretary Xi Jinping, conveying His Excellency’s congratulations for the Congress and General
Secretary Xi’s re-election respectively. Well informed
through media broadcasts such as TV coverage, theChinese people have deeply perceived the friendshipof President Isaias, People’s Front for Democracy andJustice (PFDJ), the Eritrean government as well as itspeople.
“China and Eritrea, the CPC and the PFDJ, and thepeoples of our two countries enjoy solid traditionalfriendship. The two sides embrace a high level ofmutual political trust, constantly expanded economicand trade cooperation and increased people-to-people
and cultural exchanges. All the achievements havebrought tangible benefits for the two peoples. China’s
development has entered a new era, and this will defi-Vol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017

Page 5Eri-NewsBroader Prospects for China-Eritrea Friendly Relations ...Contd. from page 4
nitely in new opportunities for enhancing ChinaEritrea friendly cooperation with broader prospects.
“In recent years, China-Eritrea exchanges andcooperation in extensive areas such as infrastructure,agriculture, education, energy and mining, medicalcare and capacity building have constantly achieved
substantial progress. However, they have not reacheda certain level to fulfill people’s expectations. We
have to work harder to ensure that our friendly cooperation will develop on more platforms and at ahigher level.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the ChinaAfrica ‘Ten Cooperation Plans’ during the FoCAC
Johannesburg Summit Meeting held in 2015, whichaims to assist African countries to realize industrialization and agricultural modernization. The planscover vast areas of China-Africa cooperation such as
infrastructure, trade and investment and poverty
alleviation. The “Belt and Road Initiative” proposedby President Xi in 2013 has become the largest andmost open cooperation platform in the world throughconstruction after several years’ construction. We areglad to see that more African partners have participa-ted into this initiative.
Eritrea is most welcome
to take an active part in
it to explore opportunities of cooperation anddevelopment since itenjoys such strategicand geographical advantages as being alongthe ‘Maritime SilkRoad’. There are vast
opportunities and limitless prospects for China-Eritrea pragmatic cooperation under the two frameworks of FoCAC and‘Belt and Road’.
“As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entereda new era, I have seen new development prospects forChina-Eritrea friendly cooperation. We are ready tomarch on hand in hand with our Eritrean friends, toembrace a brighter future of our two countries.”
The full text can accessed from: http://shabait.com/
categoryblog/25162-new-era-of-chinas-developmentbroader-prospects-for-china-eritrea-friendly-relations-‘Cooperation between Eritrea and Turkey Expanding’: Turkish Ambassador to Eritrea
Excerpts from the Remarks by H.E. Aykut
Kumbaroğlu, Ambassador of the Republic ofTurkey, during the celebration of the 94th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, on
29 October 2017 in Asmara.

continuing their university education in Turkey.
Thousands of Eritreans are visiting Turkey every year
thanks to direct flights by Turkish Airlines between
Asmara and İstanbul.

“I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to“Turkey and Eritrea established diplomatic relations the city of Asmara for being listed on the UNESCO
immediately after Eritrea gained independence. The World Heritage List. I am also happy to express thatTurkish Embassy in Asmara was opened four years Turkey has given her full support for this project.
ago in 2013. We share deep rooted historical, cultural “In conclusion, I would like to reiterate, as theand social ties. Upon this heritage, exchanges in Ambassador of Turkey to Eritrea, my commitment tomany fields are expanding rapidly. I am very happy contribute to the further strengthening and development of the existing ties of friendship and cooperation
to see that our cooperation is being enhanced in many
between Turkey and Eritrea and I wish happiness andsectors and getting diversified. One of the most prosperity to the people of Eritrea.
important among them is the increasing exchanges“Long live the Turkey-Eritrea friendship.”
between our people. Within the framework ofTürkiye scholarships, dozens of Eritrean students are The full text can be accessed from: http://50.7.16.234/
hadas-eritrea/eritrea_profile_01112017.pdf
Vol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017

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Eritrean Community Festivals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Eritrean Community in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia held its annual Festivals in Jeddah and Riyadh
from 1-3 November, and 9-11 November 2017,
respectively. The Festivals featured, among others,
seminars on national and regional issues, artistic andcultural shows, and sport competitions.
A senior delegation comprising Mr. Alamin
Mohammed Seid, Secretary of the PFDJ, and Mr.
Woldemicael Abraha, Minister of Local Government,
conducted seminars at the Festivals on the objective
situation in the homeland, and regional and globaldevelopments.

The delegation provided extensive briefings on theefforts made and progress achieved in nation building
and nationalism; foreign relations; development
programs; and the contribution of citizens as well as
strengthening the PFDJ and other issues of relevance.
The delegation reaffirmed that the Eritrean people
have ensured the security and political stability of thenation as well as laid strong economic foundation; andcalled on the citizens in the Diaspora to augment theirparticipation in the national development endeavors
and in nurturing youth with all rounded capacity.

Eritrean Community Festival in Jeddah, 1-3 November 2017

Eritrean Community Festival in Riyadh, 9-11 November 2017Vol 4. Issue 74, 22 November 2017