Eritrea (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Report Number |
IF10466 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Lauren Ploch Blanchard;Tomas F. Husted |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Eritrea has been called a pariah state by some observers for
its poor human rights record, political repression, and aid to
rebel groups in the Horn of Africa. International support for
the country, which gained independence from Ethiopia in
1993, declined in the aftermath of a border war with
Ethiopia (1998-2000), amidst a severe crackdown on
dissent. The United Nations has had an arms embargo in
place since 2009 in response to Eritrea’s border conflict
with Djibouti and its reported support for armed groups in
the region. Eritrean officials contend that the country is
misunderstood and that allegations against it have been
politicized by Ethiopia and its international allies. A recent
leadership transition in Ethiopia led to its government
moving in June 2018 to end the long military stalemate with
Eritrea, raising hopes for change in both countries.
Eritrea is among the world’s top sources of refugees. As
much as 10% of the population has fled since 2000, many
seeking asylum in Europe. Eritrea is the second largest
source of migrants crossing the Mediterranean in 2018;
almost 70,000 have arrived in Italy since 2015. Many face
abuse and life-threatening situations during their journeys.
Eritrea’s indefinite forced conscription for national service
is a widely cited reason for flight. Along with being a
human rights concern, it restricts working-age Eritreans
from supporting their families, undermining the economy.
While Eritrea has had poor relations with much of East
Africa, it has built alliances with Arab Gulf countries. The
United Arab Emirates supports Saudi-led military
operations in Yemen, to which Eritrea contributes troops,
from a base on the Eritrean coast; U.N. sanctions monitors
consider that to be an arms embargo violation. Eritrea’s ties
with Egypt have fueled tensions in Sudan and Ethiopia.
