: Land of National Service: A tool Can-Do People! for Economic Development, National (Yikealo! kikewn eyu ERI-NEWS Cohesion and the kemey zeykewn! ) Defence of Sovereignty Bi-Weekly Newsletter Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to AU and UNECA Press Section

President Isaias Held Discussions with Finnish Minister Volume 1, Issue 11 of International Development 01 June 2014 President Isaias Afwerki met and held discussions with Mr. Pekka Haav- Inside this issue: isto, the Minister of International

Development of Finland, on 29 May 2014. Eritrea Attended the 17 th Ministerial 2 Conference of the President Isaias and Mr. Pekka Haav- Non-Aligned isto exchanged views on areas of Movement cooperation in the education sector.

They reached understanding for an Eritrean delegation to visit Finland and They also conducted extensive discus- Remarks by Brigadier General discuss with representatives of educa- sions on the developments in the Horn Abraha Kassa, Head tional institutions the development of of Africa region, especially the situation of the Office of tangible cooperation programs in the in South . National Security of sector. the State of Eritrea

at the Preparatory 2 Eritrea Participated at a Regional Meeting on Human Meeting for the Trafficking and Smuggling Regional Conference on Human Traffick- An Eritrean delegation led by the Head of Union Commission in cooperation with ing and Smuggling in the Office of National Security, Brigadier IOM and UNHCR. It was attended by the the Horn of Africa, General Abraha Kassa, participated in the representatives of Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt 21 May 2014, Preparatory Meeting for the Regional and Ethiopia as well as some partner states. , Sudan Conference on Human Trafficking and Smuggling in the Horn of Africa, held from You can read the remarks made at the

21-22 May 2014 in Khartoum, Sudan. meeting by the head of the Eritrean delega- tion, Brigadier General Abraha Kassa, on

The meeting was organized by the African pages 2 and 3 of this Newsletter. Ambassador Araya Desta Delivered His Credentials to the

Executive Secretary of UNECA

On 27 May 2014, Ambassador Araya Desta and expressed his availability to provide Contact Addresses: presented his Credentials to the Executive him with the necessary support in discharg- Secretary of the UN Economic Commission ing his duties. The Executive Secretary Tel: +251-116620052 for Africa (UNECA), Dr. Carlos Lopes. also expressed his best wishes to President Fax:+251-116620011 Email:eritreanaumission@ Isaias Afwerki, the People and Government During the occasion, Ambassador Araya gmail.com P.o.Box: 5527 conveyed to the Executive Secretary the of Eritrea and indicated his plan to visit Asmara in the near future. , Ethiopia best wishes of President Isaias Afwerki for his well-being. Eritrean Mission to Ambassador Araya expressed his commit- AU& ECA Dr. Lopes, on his part, congratulated ment to strengthen the working relations Ambassador Araya on his new assignment between Eritrea and UNECA. @EritreaAU Vol 1. Issue 11, 01 June 2014

Volume 1, Issue 11 Page 2 Eritrea Attended the 17 th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement

An Eritrean delegation, headed by Ambassador Girma Asmerom, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations, participated at the 17 th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement held from 26-30 May 2014 in Algiers, Algeria.

The full text of the Statement delivered by the Eri- trean delegation at the Conference can be accessed at http://www.tesfanews.net/wp-content/uploads/ Eritrea_Statement_NAM_2014.pdf Remarks by Brigadier General Abraha Kassa, Head of the Office of National Security of the State of Eritrea at the Preparatory Meeting for the Regional Conference on Human Trafficking and Smuggling in the Horn of Africa, 21 May 2014, Khartoum, Sudan

Mr. Chairman, United States with other collaborating states, organizations and agencies. Let me start my remarks by thanking the Govern- ment and people of the sisterly Republic of the ♦ The scheme is politically motivated and car- Sudan for their traditional warm hospitality ried out under a meticulous plan. It forms extended to me and my delegation since our part and parcel of the war declared against arrival in this beautiful city of Khartoum. the people and nation of Eritrea.

I would also like, at the outset, to express Eritrea’s ♦ The main purpose of the scheme is to appreciation to the AU-led initiative to combat degrade Eritrea’s human resources and human trafficking and smuggling in the Horn of capital, demonize the Government of Eritrea Africa Region. This preparatory meeting is one in and undermine its efforts to seek justice and a serious of activities that have been going on remove the occupation of its sovereign since the inception of the initiative in 2012. My territories. The transparent ploy is designed country has been actively participating and to stifle Eritrea’s voice and deflect interna- contributing to the process from the start. tional attention from Ethiopia’s breach of international law and infringement of Following this, I will try to briefly share Eritrea’s Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. views in regard to the problem of human traffick- ing and smuggling, the efforts undertaken by 2. Eritrea’s Efforts to Combat and Prevent Eritrea to combat and prevent these heinous Human Trafficking crimes, and some ideas on the way forward. The Government of Eritrea has deployed a multi- 1. The Challenge of Human Trafficking and faceted approach to combat and prevent human Smuggling in Eritrea trafficking and smuggling as well as to assist the victims. ♦ The migration of Eritreans is not a phenome- non driven by an economic pull factor as it is ♦ The people and Government of Eritrea have usually the case in our contemporary times. redoubled their diplomatic, political, and This is in fact a deliberate case of human economic efforts to foil the hostile activities trafficking conceived and orchestrated by the organized by the U.S. Administration and its

Vol 1. Issue 11, 01 June 2014

Volume 1, Issue 11 Page 3 Remarks by Brigadier General Abraha Kassa... (cont from page 2) collaborators. At the Extraordinary Session of the AU ♦ Awareness raising - Eritrea has undertaken a Assembly held in October 2013, Eritrea comprehensive campaign on the national media called on the AUC to study the root causes and other public fora strongly featuring of the problem, and investigate the criminal trafficking victims, their families and commu- networks in order to take collective action nities. at the continental level.

♦ Prosecution of criminals – Eritrean Govern- ment law enforcement agencies and local 3. The Way Forward communities are actively working in identify- ing and apprehending the perpetrators of these ♦ The crime of human trafficking that is crimes and bring them to justice. perpetrated against the people and Govern- ment of Eritrea for ulterior political ♦ Support to victims – Eritrea opposes any objectives should not be underrated or stigmatization of victims of human trafficking downplayed. The crime must stop and those and provides them with all possible assistance. culpable must be held to account. Eritrean diplomatic missions and communities in the countries of destination provide them ♦ The transnational nature of human traffick- with consular services and other assistances ing and smuggling makes it imperative for they may require. states- origin, transit and host- to cooperate in the investigation of the criminal activities ♦ Eritrea has been consulting with the Sudan, and in the prosecution of the criminals. Egypt and other relevant countries on migra- Regional and international organizations, tion and other related issues. such as the AU and UN also have the responsibility to utilize their wide presence ♦ The Government of Eritrea has made several to collect information and undertake serious diplomatic demarches and sent official letters investigations into the crimes. to protest and oppose and seek remedies to this transgression. ♦ With this in mind, the GOE regrets that to-date there has not been any noticeable In 2004, the GOE sent demarches to the activity either by AU or UN in way of UNHCR and a number of European coun undertaking the investigations requested by tries who were instigating the mass migra- Eritrea. I would like to use this opportunity tion of the members of the Kunama ethnic to reiterate Eritrea’s call on UN and AU to group under the false pretext that they rep- investigate the crimes of human trafficking resented a suppressed minority group. The and smuggling in order to bring the GOE has likewise sent letters to Libya- criminals to justice. during the Qhadaffi years- to Egypt, Israel and the Sudan to protest and expose the Mr. Chairman, network of intelligence agencies mired in this deplorable act. In conclusion, I wish to express my delegation’s belief that the discussion we will have over these President Isaias has also sent a letter to the two days will lay a solid basis for the Regional UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Meeting on the subject planned to be held in the requesting the UN to launch a comprehen- near future. sive investigation of the act through an independent, neutral and transparent body. Thank you!

Vol 1. Issue 11, 01 June 2014