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ERI-NEWS

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
President held talks with South Sudan Delegation
On 25 April 2015, President Isaias
Afwerki received and held talks with aSouth Sudan delegation headed byMr. Nhial Deng Nhial, Chief Negotiator of the Government of the Republicof South Sudan.

indicated that he had given detailed
briefing to President Isaias on thepeace process and the problems
encountered. He also disclosed thatthe delegation has received vital advice from the President.

Mr. Nhial Deng Nhial elaborated thatPresident Isaias has underlined that inorder for the peace process to succeed,
the two parties need to discuss theSouth Sudan problem in earnest andfree from external interference. In thisconnection, Mr. Nhial Deng Nhial
stated that the President cautioned
against internationalizing the South
During the meeting, the two sides con- Sudan issue which would but further
ducted discussion focusing on bilateral complicate it.
relations and the peace process in theRepublic of South Sudan.
Mr. Nhial said that President Isaias
has asserted Eritrea’s readiness to furMr. Nhial told Erina that the discussion ther enhance bilateral relations withwith President Isaias was very signifi- South Sudan, as well as to cooperatecant, and explained that the peace in efforts to foster relations of coopprocess that was in progress under the eration between South Sudan and theauspices of IGAD has not so far pro- Republic of Sudan.
duced concrete outcome. He further

Vol 2. Issue 32
01 May 2015Inside this issue:
Eritrea and Cuba
Agreed to Enhance
Cooperation in theHealth Sector

Eritrea Attendedthe International
Convention on
Public Health inCuba
Eritrea-EUPartnership
Anchored on
Mutual Interestsand Respect222

Contact Addresses:

Eritrea took part in the Asian-African Conference in Indonesia
A senior Eritrean delegation led byForeign Minister Osman Saleh attended the Commemoration of the 60th
Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference held from 22- 24 April 2015, in
Bandung and Jakarta.

Tel: +251-116620052
Fax:+251-116620011
Email:eritreanaumission@
gmail.com
P.o.Box: 5527Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Eritrean Mission toAU& ECA@EritreaAU

Vol 2. Issue 32, 01 May 2015

Page 2Eri-News

Eritrea and Cuba Agreed to Enhance
Cooperation in the Health Sector

Eritrea Attended the International
Convention on Public Health in Cuba

Eritrean Minister of Health, Ms. Amina Nurhusein,and her Cuban counterpart Dr. Roberto Morales intheir meeting held in Havana on 23 April 2015, reviewed the existing cooperation between the twocountries in the health sector and signed an Agreement to further strengthen the cooperation.

An Eritrean delegation headed by the Minister ofHealth, Ms. Amina Nurhusien, participated in theInternational Convention on Public Health held inHavana, Cuba from 20-24 April 2015. In a Statement she delivered at the meeting, the Ministerelaborated on Eritrea’s achievement in the healthdomain and the experience acquired thereof.

Eritrea-EU Partnership Anchored on Mutual Interests and Respect
By Abraham Tesfay (Source: www.shabait.com)

The 22-years old Eritrea-EU ties of development cooperation is firmly anchored on mutual respect andcollaboration in sectors that are agreed upon by bothsides.
The EU development fund (EDF) that is allocated toEritrea within the five-year planning cycles is similar
to the EDF agreements the former signs with theother 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states.
As far as political dialogue is concerned, the EU andEritrea are bound by the same procedures and modalities that are enshrined in the multilateral Cotonou
Agreement.
Eritrea’s long cherished vision revolves around securing a life of dignity and prosperity for its citizens
in a peaceful and cooperative regional and global setting.
Principles Guiding Eritrea’s Engagement inDevelopment Cooperation
Four key factors are important to Eritrea as it considers development cooperation, whether with the EU orother partners:♦Mutual respect on matters of sovereignty andpolitical independence;♦Healthy, symmetric, relationship between thesignatory parties;♦Non imposition of political and/or economicconditionalities;♦Host country ownership of programmes and thechanneling of funds directly to implementing
bodies on the ground.

EDF Financing Agreements
The 7th EDF, the first EU assistance package to Eritrea,
was signed in 1994 in the immediate aftermath of theNational Indicative Plan (NIP) that the Government ofEritrea (GOE) had charted out. The focus of the outlined
projects were infrastructure, including transport andenergy; rehabilitation and recovery programmes (ShortTerm Programme to Aid Reconstruction and Recovery);as well as technical studies. The total budget for this cycle
was €55m and it was fully implemented albeit interruptions and delays entailed by the border war.
In 2001, the GOE designed the 8th EDF, 56 million Euro
programme that was primarily funnelled towards restoring macroeconomic stability.
The 9th EDF cycle addressed post-conflict rehabilitationand especially the demobilisation programme that theGOE embarked on after the signature of the Algiers Peace
Agreement and subsequent referral of the border disputeto the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission.
The 10th EDF was signed in 2009 with a total budget of€122m. The bulk of the funds were allocated to food security and road maintenance. Non-focal sectors included
capacity building programmes for Community Courts aswell as the Eritrean Center for Organization Excellence.
Some of these programmes were restructured subsequently pursuant to GOE programme review amid changing priorities.
Discussions regarding the 11th EDF cycle and the sectors
for funding began in 2013 and the key focal sector for thiscycle is energy and economic governance. The agreement
is expected to be signed in early May 2015.

Vol 2. Issue 32, 01 May 2015