Research Library: Eritrea
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Last Updated May 29, 2009
Country Information
Government
- Currently, Eritrea has a transitional government. According to the constitution, ratified in May 1997 but has yet to be implemented, the National Assembly will elect the president for a five-year term. The constitution also states that the unicameral National Assembly will be comprised of 150 members directly elected by popular vote to serve a five-year term.
- The National Assembly elected President Isaias Afewerki in 1993. He was the leader of Eritrea prior to independence from Ethiopia. The government postponed the December 1997 election. The ruling government has not set a new date. The only legal party in Eritrea is the People¿s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).
Political Stability
- Eritrea is a former Italian colony taken over by the British and then given to Ethiopia as part of a federation. In 1962, Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie, annexed Eritrea which sparked a 30 year for independence. The war ended in 1991 and by 1993 Eritrea voted for independence from Ethiopia. The transitional government failed to enact a constitution and hold elections in 2001.
- Eritrea lacks major infrastructure. The government exercises strong control over political, social and economic instructions. It does not grant its citizens civil liberties. In 2001, prominent members of the PFDJ announced publicly their grievances with the government. The government detained these individuals without charging them and is holding them in an unknown location. The government has also cracked down on the independent press, arresting reporters and editors without charges.
Current Government Policies
- During negotiations with the United States, the PFDJ¿s predecessor, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, stated they wished to create a democracy with a free economy in Eritrea. The government failed to follow through with this promise and is cracking down on public criticism of the government.
International Reputation
- Relations with the West became strained after the governmental crackdown. The US continues to work to cement a peaceful relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Eritrea interactions with neighboring countries are tense at times. Eritrea and Yema resolved a territorial dispute. Eritrean government believes that the National Islamic Front government in Sudan is supporting the extremist group Eritrean Islamic Jihad. Eritrea and Djibouti had a military confrontation in 2008.
Economics
- The economy is heavily based on subsistence agriculture with 80% of the population relying on herding and farming for income. The war with Ethiopia destroyed a lot of the infrastructure and hurt food production. Recent harvests failed to produce enough food to meet demand. The government continues to promote military and party own businesses as a means to develop the country.
- The government relies heavily on international mining. The government opened a free trade zone in 2008 in the port of Massawa. Major obstacles that stand in the way of economic development include high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, low skills and the economic policies enacted by the government.
Foreign Aid
Statistics
Click on statistic name for source information.
Web Resources
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