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OVERVIEW ON ERITREA |
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Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa, with an area of 124,000 sq.km and an estimated population of 3 million people. The country achieved formal indipendence and statehood in 1993, after a long and devastating struggle for liberation. Since independence the country has focused on economic and social development, emergency relief operations, reconstruction as well as rehabilitation. The emergence of the liberation movement was a collective effort that included Eritreans from different ethnic groups, religious references and various educational backgrounds. Although the involvement and the commitment of the population is evident in the country, there is a need to strengthen and build civil society organisations, while also building grassroots self-esteem and a strong sense of participation in the development of the local communities. Eritrea has from 1994-1995 streamlined the civil service, formulated a Macro Economic Policy and outlined sectoral strategies. In the period from 1995-1997 there was a slow, yet steady, economic growth at an annual rate of 7%. Although the country’s efforts have been focused on economic and social development, directing resources to education and health, there are many challenges facing the country, with an illiteracy rate as high as 70%. There has been an increase in school buildings, training teachers, health facilities and generally the infrastructures have shown vast improvement. In 1998 the border conflict with neighbouring Ethiopia has had a severe impact upon all aspects of the country and hindered the progress of the development programmes. In spite of the efforts of the UN, OAU, EU and the US to resolve the conflict in a peaceful manner, at the moment only a cease-fire agreement has been signed and has to be implemented, while the tension is continuing, due to Ethiopia’s insistence on resolving the conflict through force. Eritrea has, on the other hand, demonstrated an interest in peace, accepting and unilaterally complying with all the resolutions and appeals of the international community. In the past two years over 70,000 people of Eritrean origin have been deported from Ethiopia. The majority of the deportees, those without the assistance of relatives, are dependent upon government and external assistance. In May 2000, Ethiopia proceeded to penetrate inside Eritrean territory. The war has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians, violations of human rights, loss of their property and personal belongings, as well as destruction of the infrastructure. The displaced, housed in camps, are dependent upon external and internal assistance for their survival.
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