Category: Politics

President Isaias Afwerki today, 08 September, sent message of congratulation to H.E. Mr. William Ruto.

In his message, President Isaias on behalf of the Government and people of Eritrea wished Mr. William Ruto warm and sincere congratulations on the occasion of his election as the President of the Republic of Kenya.

President Isaias expressed trust that his election will advance the tasks of economic development and progress of the Republic of Kenya and his belief that will enhance the bilateral ties that exist between Eritrea and Kenya.

President Isaias also wished good health to Mr. William Ruto good health and peace and prosperity to the friendly people of the Republic of Kenya.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

The Dahlak Archipelago is situated in the central part of the Eritrean Red Sea, 58 km northeast of Mitsewa’e. It encompasses about 210 islands and islets. Dahlak Kebir is the largest island in the archipelago and is 643 km² in area. It is most certain that in the ancient texts, the Dahlaks or the main islands were known by the name of Elaia.

Several classical writers such as Artemidorus and Pliny the Elder as well as chronicles like ´the Periplus Mare Erythraeia´ mention the Dahlak Islands as early as 100 B.C. Scholars have usually identified the Dahlak Archipelago with several islands that classical sources mention to have exported tortoise shells to Adulis.

During the ancient times, the Dahlak islands were a communication node and bridge between the coast land of Eritrea and Arabia, a point of encounter and some times of conflict for diverse civilizations. Starting from the 7th century A.D .the prosperous port city of Adulis started its gradual decline and it took no time for the Arabs to gain control of the strategically placed islands of the Archipelago for political domination and trading. At the turn of the following century, Arabs from Hedjaz occupied the islands and the Archipelago came under the Umayyad sovereignty. Dahlak was to take over and the trading routes were soon to make it the major focal point for trade in the Red Sea. It welcomed goods from Mitsewa’e and Suakin heading for the Arabian Peninsula, and from the Indian Ocean en route to the major Mediterranean markets. Aromatics, spices, gold, ivory, and, more particularly, pearl and tortoise shells were the leading products derived from the local shores. Those goods were to make Dahlak a prosperous trading center.Slave trade was flourishing too. Hence, a merchant class started to make way and acquire political status. The almost 210 closely crowded islands which form the Dahlak Archipelago are the closest islands to Mistewa’e and, with very few exceptions, have a maximum altitude of 15meter above sea level. The islands guard the approaches to the ancient Eritrean port of Adulis as well as Mitsewa’e. Thus, they have always played an important role in Eritrean history. For many centuries, the islands were a domain of Arabs, Turks and Egyptians and came under the Italian rule towards the end of the 19thC.

The archaeological remains of Dahlak Kebir are characterized by complex town site, which embraces various tombs, ancient Arabic calligraphy (the kufic inscriptions), different sized cisterns, and various periodic settlements. These ancient remains bear testimony to the fact that the history of the island goes far back in history. Coral stone ruins with well-built structures and the use of special technique of spiral-curved columns are among the collections. James Bruce and Henry Salt both mentioned the rich cultural contents of the islands as some of the wonders of the ancient world. In addition, in the shallow and deep water of the Dahlak Islands, there are various shipwrecks which were scuttled during World War Two, the war for Eritrean Independence as well as during the ancient trade activities of antiquity which linked the islands with Aduis.

The interesting remains, both archaeological and historical, recorded at Dahlak Kebir range from the 1st century A.D up to the Ottoman Turks period in the16th century A.D. The presence of archaeological remains on both sides of the Red Sea coast proves that there had been contact between the Dahlak Archipelago and the western part of the Arabian Peninsula, which pre-dated the rise of two of the three major religions that originated in the Middle East (Christianity and Islam). The islands also had great importance in the immense trade which linked the Horn of Africa with the Nile Valley and the Indian Ocean.

In the 10th century, a state was established under the sovereign imposed successively by the neighboring powers such as the Abbasids and Fatimids of Egypt, and the Emirs of Zebid in Yemen. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the islands became masters of economy and experienced significant development, particularly between 1093 and 1250 under the rule of a line of Sultans of whom El-Mubarak was the founder. At the beginning of the 16thC, however, the Portuguese fleet entered the Red Sea and attempted to take the spice trade from the Arabs. In 1511, they cruised Mitsewa’e under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque and Dahlak was sacked in 1513. The sultanate was never to recover. The last ruler, Ahmad bin Ismael, died on 29 January 1539, as witnessed by an inscription on a gravestone.

Gravestones in basalt, cisterns, and some ruins are remnants of the onetime prosperity of the island. The gravestones in basalt dated back to the 10th century and the most recent to the 16th century. Whether engraved or embossed, outlined in Kufic script (early Arabic script), they have come to be a precious source of historical evidence. They refer to the names, origins and trades of the departed. They provide an indication of the status or profession of some of the individuals: masons, tailors, copperware manufacturers, oil merchants, ship owners, merchants’ representatives and lawyers. Imposing tittles such as defender of the Islamic advance, ornament of the religion, invigorator of justice in the world and sultan magnificent were awarded to the sultans.

According to Puglisi, the ancient cisterns in Dahlak were built in the 7th-8th Century AD during the maritime expansions of Persians from Sirfa to provide water for African slaves traded in Egypt, in the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf of India. In the 18th century, Bruce confirmed that he had seen 360 cisterns at Dahlak Kebir. In 1946, Puglisi recorded 70 cisterns in the village of Dahlak Kebir and 30 in Adal. The 365 cisterns are all over the flat open land of the islands.

Many can be seen between the villages of Derbishet and Kebir. Most of the wells have tunnel like structure for collecting and directing running water after rain. According to historical facts and oral traditions, it was for the exclusive use of a Sultan (leader).

The technique of making such kind of water installation method is one of the peculiar evidences of the ancient water conservation management strategy in the world.

At the end of the 19th century, the Italians found little interest in the islands. The remoteness and blazing heat made them an ideal, if merciless, location for penal institution, a trend that the Italians started at the end of the19thC. Nakura, which is situated west of Dahlak Kebir, was established as a detention camp for the anti-colonial Eritrean patriots. Likewise, under the Derg regime, it was used as a detention centre for political prisoners.

Finally, the archipelago could offer an ideal opportunity for tourism and has potential for UNESCO world heritage list based on its mixture of rich archaeological, historical and natural heritage. It remains equally significant to safeguard the heritage of the archipelago as part of the national development programs and raise awareness of the surrounding community.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

The Governor of the Northern Red Sea Region, Ms. Asmeret Abraha conducted seminars in the sub-zones of Gelalo, Foro and Massawa focusing on the objective situation in the homeland.

At the seminars that were conducted from 2 to 7 September and in which heads of departments and branches, area administrators, village elders and concerned Government workers took part, Ms. Asmeret explaining on the historical background of Eritrean identity and challenges encountered as well as the heavy sacrifice paid to address the challenges, called on the public to develop overall awareness and strengthen participation in the successful implementation of national development drives.

In the same vein, Ms. Asmeret discussed with concerned bodies and experts focusing on the efforts being exerted to ensure potable water supply and development activities in Bada administrative area.

Ms. Asmeret also visited the progress of the road renovation connecting the sub-zones of Gelalo and Foro and held discussion with the coordinators of the program.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

At an activity assessment meeting the Ministry of Education branch in the Central Region conducted on 6 September it was reported that commendable activities have been conducted in the 2021/2022 academic year through integrated efforts on the part of all stakeholders.

At the meeting extensive discussion was conducted on the strengths and challenges encountered in the teaching-learning process and measures taken to address the challenges.

According to report presented by Mr. Belai Habtegabir, head of the Ministry of Education branch in the region, out of the active 325 schools in the region 49% of pre-schools, 50.5% of elementary, 44% of junior and 40% of high schools are found in villages and there plan to build new ones.

Mr. Belai went on to say that in accordance with the policy of the Ministry of Education, the main objective of the branch office is to ensure equitable distribution of schools and educational opportunity, producing competent students as well as regular follow-up aimed at ensuring the development of teaching-learning process.

At the meeting activity reports of various sectors were also presented by concerned heads.

The participants on their part conducted extensive discussion on the reports presented and adopted various recommendations.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Fesehaye Haile, Governor of the Central Region, and Mr. Petros Hailemariam, Director General of Research and Human Resources Development at the Ministry of Education, indicating on the heavy responsibility that teachers shoulder called for due attention to nurture the culture of reading on students and on mother tongue education.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

WHITE HOUSE — President Joe Biden has made a final decision to not designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House said Tuesday, saying that such a move could backfire and have unintended consequences for U.S. support of Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.

Biden’s one-word response — “no,” he said, when reporters asked him on Monday, “should Russia be designated a state sponsor of terrorism?” — ends months of serious, fervent discussions on Capitol Hill and in foreign capitals over whether to add Russia to the short, grim list that currently includes Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.

Nations earn this label when the U.S. secretary of state deems that a foreign government is “repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism.” The designation effectively renders the target a pariah, by imposing restrictions on U.S. assistance; a ban on defense exports and sales; controls over items that can be used for both military and non-military purposes, and a raft of other restrictions.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre elaborated on the president’s thought process.

“This designation could have unintended consequences to Ukraine, and the world,” she said. “For example, according to humanitarian experts and NGOs we have spoken to, it could seriously affect the ability to deliver assistance in areas of Ukraine.

“Another one is it could drive critical humanitarian and commercial actors away from facilitating food exports to help mitigate the global food crisis and jeopardize the Black Sea ports deal that has already led to over a million tons of Ukrainian food exports reaching the world, including those in Horn of Africa.

“It will also undercut unprecedented multilateral conditions that have been so effective in holding [Russian President Vladimir] Putin accountable and could also undermine our ability to support Ukraine at the negotiating table,” she said. “So, again, we do not think this is the most effective way to go, or the strongest path forward.”

Team Yes

Key among the proponents is Ukraine’s president, who renewed his appeal this week as inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed alarm over fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

In a report released Tuesday, agency chief Rafael Grossi warned that “any further escalation affecting the six-reactor plant could lead to a severe nuclear accident with potentially grave radiological consequences for human health and the environment in Ukraine and elsewhere.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his nightly video address on Monday to hammer that point home.

“Shelling the territory of the ZNPP means that the terrorist state does not care what the IAEA says, it does not care what the international community decides,” he said. “Russia is interested only in keeping the situation the worst for the longest time possible. This can be corrected only by strengthening sanctions, only by officially recognizing Russia as a terrorist state — at all levels.”

And last month, the Baltic state of Latvia — formerly a member of the Soviet Union – levied the designation on Russia, with lawmakers voting overwhelmingly in favor of the move and urging other nations to follow suit.

Closer to home, the strongest charge has come from Capitol Hill, where a bipartisan group of senators has been urging the administration to make the call, after passing a resolution in July.

In the resolution, the senators argue that Russia promotes acts of international terrorism against political opponents and nation states, citing Russia’s aggression in Chechnya, Georgia, Ukraine, Syria and remote corners of the world, under the aegis of the shadowy, Kremlin-backed mercenaries known as the Wagner Group.

“To the Biden administration: You have the complete unanimous support of the United States Senate to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said. “Do it.”

Such agreement, Graham added, is rare in this increasingly divided political landscape, saying, “I didn’t think there was an issue under the sun that could get 100 Senate votes, but we found it: Russia is a state sponsor of terrorism.”

The resolution’s co-sponsor, Democrat Richard Blumenthal, defended the argument on moral grounds.

“The designation of state sponsorship of terrorism puts Russia in a very small club — it consists of nations like Syria, Iran and Cuba that are outside the bounds of civilized countries,” he said. “They are pariahs. And that is exactly the designation that Russia deserves for what it has done in Ukraine as well as in other countries.”

And, over the weekend, White House officials confirmed that Moscow is buying rockets and artillery shells from North Korea — a longtime member of the list — for use in Ukraine.

“We expect Russia could try to purchase additional North Korean military equipment going forward,” an administration official told reporters.

Team No

The Kremlin opposes the designation, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Russian television on Tuesday that “the very formulation of the issue is monstrous.”

“And, of course, it is good that the U.S. president responded in this way,” he said.

While Peskov said the Kremlin welcomed Biden’s firm “no,” he added that Moscow did not see that as a move to warm relations.

“It can hardly be a reason for such assessments,” he said.

U.S. officials point out that Russia is already sweating under the weight of massive U.S. sanctions.

“The costs that have been imposed on Russia by us and by other countries are absolutely in line with the consequences that would follow from designation as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

And some analysts argue that Russia is low in the rankings when it comes to earning this dubious distinction.

“By the current standard, numerous countries could be placed on the state-sponsor-of- terror list, such as Myanmar/ Burma, China, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, just to name a few,” wrote Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.

“Several U.S. allies deserve to be on such a list, too: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Turkey, and Egypt. So does Saudi Arabia, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed “Slice ‘n Dice” bin Salman, notable for murdering and dismembering his critics. The kingdom is more repressive domestically and has killed more people internationally than even Russia.”

To summarize, he said: “The Putin regime is evil, but it is not a sponsor of terrorism.”

Team It’s Complicated

Just as the arguments on each side are fervent, so are the reasons that analysts — and the White House — say this issue is not black-and-white.

For one, said Delaney Simon, a researcher at the International Crisis Group, the U.S. and Russia engage across a number of platforms, including the United Nations Security Council, where both nations hold permanent seats.

“None of the other states that are designated state sponsors of terror have the same sort of role in the international system,” she told VOA. “That would make any kind of multilateral diplomacy really, really complicated. And you’ve seen from some Russian statements that President Putin is going to think of this, definitely, as an escalation and cause for a rupture in relations.”

She added that such a designation would end Russia’s sovereign immunity from lawsuits from Americans claiming to be affected by Russian actions. Those cases could drag on for years and — as in the case of Sudan, a former member of the list — significantly delay a nation’s removal from the list.

She also pointed out another element: to reverse the designation, something bigger and more important has to change.

“There’s sort of a checklist of things that have to happen legally before the designation can be rescinded,” she said. “One of the things that needs to happen is that the state has to undergo a fundamental change in leadership and policy. It’s hard to see, well, a leadership change. Which, by the way, is something that the Biden administration has resisted calling for.”

Finally, she said, if the goal is to end the six-month invasion of Ukraine, this may not help.

“I think once you look deeply at the policy implications of this issue, it’s pretty clear that the designation wouldn’t help Ukraine,” she said. ussr

And so, for now, it’s a no.

Source: Voice of America

BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA — U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer returned to Ethiopia, 12 days after fighting resumed between federal forces and Tigrayan rebels, breaking a monthslong cease-fire. The renewed clashes have quashed hopes for peace talks and threaten to spread the conflict, following reports that Eritrean forces have reentered the war and fighting is reported near the Sudan border.

Hammer arrived in Ethiopia on Sunday.

In a news release, the U.S. State Department said Hammer was planning to meet with politicians and civil society groups, “to discuss how best to promote efforts towards a lasting peace, security, and prosperity for all people in Ethiopia.”

Hammer last visited Ethiopia and met with officials in July, during the cease-fire, which the U.S. government said it found encouraging. However, he was told by Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen that the country remains committed to African Union mediation of any peace talks.

The visit comes after fighting in the near two-year conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and rebels with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) resumed August 24, ending the five-month cease-fire.

The U.S. has condemned neighboring Eritrea’s reentry into the conflict, an offensive by the TPLF, and airstrikes by the Ethiopian government, which hit civilian areas, including a kindergarten.

Before the fighting resumed peace talks looked possible, with the TPLF favoring mediation by the U.S. and Kenya’s government, while the Ethiopian government looked to the African Union to broker talks.

William Davison, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, a Belgium-based political analysis firm, said stability in Ethiopia is of great concern to the U.S.

“Above and beyond the desire to bring about peace because of its intrinsic benefits to Ethiopia because of the devastation the conflict is causing,” Davison told VOA, “the U.S. is of course concerned about the regional and geopolitical implications of increasing instability in Ethiopia, a critical country in the Horn of Africa, which is an important strategic reason itself.”

Davidson said Washington can’t force the parties to the negotiating table.

“At this point the U.S. probably doesn’t have, immediately, any extra leverage to bring to bear,” he said. “Of course, it has the diplomatic access and can implore the parties to recommit to the truce and try and achieve talks, but for the moment, the momentum has moved away from any sort of punitive measures. They did establish a sanctions regime.”

Among some Ethiopians on social media, there have been accusations the U.S. is biased toward the TPLF.

Kiram Tadesse, a pro-government commentator, holds that point of view.

“The United States and the so-called international community are not impartial and even defend the TPLF, whenever the federal forces and other allied forces launched their offensive against TPLF,” Tadesse said. “There is a clear dissatisfaction among the social media users.”

Ethiopian state and state-controlled media also frequently parrot this view.

VOA reached out to the TPLF and Ethiopian government with requests for comment on the arrival of the U.S. envoy, but neither responded.

In Tigray, humanitarian organizations say parts of the region are likely in a state of famine due to a lack of humanitarian aid being allowed in. The government has also shut down telecoms and banking there.

With clashes looking set to continue, it remains to be seen whether anyone can persuade the sides to open peace talks.

Source: Voice of America

Frances Tiafoe ended Rafael Nadal’s 22-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments by beating the 22-time major champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the U.S. Open’s fourth round Monday.

Tiafoe is a 24-year-old from Maryland who is seeded 22nd at Flushing Meadows and reached the second major quarterfinal of his career.

He is the youngest American man to get that far at the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2006, but this was not a case of a one-sided crowd backing one of its own. Nadal is about as popular as can be in tennis and heard plenty of support in Arthur Ashe Stadium as the volume rose after the retractable roof was shut during the fourth set.

“I don’t even know what to say right now. I’m beyond happy. I can’t believe it,” said Tiafoe, who faces No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev next. “He’s one of the greatest of all time. I played unbelievable tennis today, but I don’t even know what happened.”

Here’s what happened: Tiafoe served better than No. 2 seed Nadal. More surprisingly, he returned better, too. And he kept his cool, remained in the moment and never let the stakes or the opponent get to him. The 36-year-old from Spain had won both of their previous matches, and every set they played, too.

“Well, the difference is easy: I played a bad match, and he played a good match,” Nadal said. “At the end that’s it.”

This surprise came a day after one of Tiafoe’s pals, Nick Kyrgios, eliminated the No. 1 seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev. That makes this the first U.S. Open without either of the top two seeded men reaching the quarterfinals since 2000, when No. 1 Andre Agassi exited in the second round and No. 2 Gustavo Kuerten in the first.

That was before Nadal, Novak Djokovic, who has 21 Grand Slam titles, and Roger Federer, who has 20, began dominating men’s tennis. Djokovic, who is 35, did not enter this U.S. Open because is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and was not allowed to enter the United States; Federer, 41, has undergone a series of operations on his right knee and has not played since Wimbledon last year.

Now come the inevitable questions about whether their era of excellence is wrapping up.

“It signifies that the years go on,” Nadal said. “It’s the natural cycle of life.”

Either Tiafoe or Rublev will advance to a first major semifinal. Rublev, who is 0-5 in Slam quarterfinals, beat No. 7 Cam Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 earlier Monday.

The No. 1 woman, Iga Swiatek, covered her head with a white towel during one changeover after falling behind by a set and a break in her fourth-round match. She kept making mistakes, then rolling her eyes or glaring in the direction of her guest box.

Eventually, Swiatek got her strokes straightened out and moved into her first quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows by coming back to beat Jule Niemeier 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.

“I’m just proud,” Swiatek said, “that I didn’t lose hope.”

The 21-year-old from Poland will face another first-time U.S. Open quarterfinalist next. That’s No. 8 seed Jessica Pegula, the highest-ranked American woman, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova.

Nadal won the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. Then he made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in July before withdrawing from that tournament because of a torn abdominal muscle; that does not go into the books as a loss, because he pulled out before the match.

Nadal competed only once in the 1½ months between leaving the All England Club and arriving in New York while recovering from that injury. His play has not been up to his usual standards at the U.S. Open, which he has won four times.

The match ended when one last backhand by Nadal found the net. Tiafoe put his hands on his headm then he sat in his sideline chair with his face buried in a towel.

“When I first came on the scene, a lot of people had limitations on what I would do. … I wasn’t ‘ready for it mentally.’ I wasn’t ‘mature,’” Tiafoe said. But these days, he added, “I’m able to just do me and do it my way and enjoy the game I love.”

This represents the latest significant step forward for Tiafoe, whose only previous trip to a Grand Slam quarterfinal came at the 2019 Australian Open — and ended with a loss to Nadal.

Tiafoe thanked a long list of folks who were in the stands, including his parents — they emigrated from Sierra Leone in West Africa and his dad worked as a maintenance man at a tennis facility near the U.S. capital — his girlfriend and Washington Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal.

“To have them see what I did today means more than anything,” Tiafoe said. “Today’s an unbelievable day and I’m going to soak this one in, for sure.”

Source: Voice of America