greatreporter.com, December 31st, 2006
Area: 121,144 sq km (46,774 sq mi)
Population (2006 est.): 4,787,000
Capital:
Asmara
Head of state and government:
President
Isaias
Afwerki
Eritrea
faced severe challenges in 2006, most of which were exacerbated by the nation's authoritarian government, which failed to create a climate of economic revival, good relations with Western donors, neighbourly relations with
Ethiopia
, or real freedom for its people. Severe drought continued to afflict major portions of the Horn of Africa, causing food shortages for about 11 million people in the region. The hunger crisis prompted the United Nations in February to appoint Norwegian
diplomat
Kjell Magne
Bondevik
as its special humanitarian envoy to the region.
Pres.
Isaias
Afwerki
's government in
Eritrea
downplayed the reality of the famine, however, and insisted that the nation could feed itself. In March
Eritrea
expelled three aid organizations, stating that they had failed to follow new rules created to regulate nongovernmental organizations. The ousted American, British, and Irish charities were among 24 NGOs that had ceased operating in the country since 2005.
The Eritrean economy remained deep in the red, spending more money on defense, modest economic restructuring, and humanitarian programs than it was taking in. The country's external debt exceeded
Eritrea
, one of the world's poorest nations, owed the World Bank more than $500 million, up from $75 million in 1997. By the end of August, $254 million for seven currently active projects.
The diplomatic stalemate between
Eritrea
and
Ethiopia
continued for the sixth year, but tension remained high between the two neighbours, which had fought a bloody war between 1998 and 2000. The two countries had agreed to cease fighting but disputed a UN Security Council ruling that set new borders after the battles ended. In September
Eritrea
expelled five security employees who were part of a UN force that was monitoring the cease-fire, accusing them of spying. The action was seen as yet another act of hostility and defiance by
Eritrea
toward the world body. In October
Eritrea
spurned calls by the UN Security Council to remove its 1,500 troops and 14 tanks from a postwar buffer zone.
Afwerki
's government continued to deny Eritreans political and press freedoms in 2006. Among the victims of the harsh regime were 15 journalists who spent their fifth year in jail notwithstanding pleas for their freedom from supporters overseas.
Despite their tribulations, Eritreans had at least one reason to celebrate in 2006: the Red Sea Boys, the country's association football (soccer) team, thought to be minnows, handily beat
Kenya
's Harambee Stars in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in September.
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