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Detention of Journalists in Ethiopia Serves as Example of Deteriorating Media Freedom

WASHINGTON — Following a four-month ordeal, an Ethiopian journalist is back home with his family, although he still may face years in prison if convicted of violating the country’s wartime state of emergency law and anti-terrorism law.

Amir Aman Kiyaro, a video journalist accredited by the Associated Press, was arrested on November 28, 2021, in Addis Ababa following a reporting trip outside of the capital. He was accused of illegally communicating with members of the Oromo Liberation Army, which the government has labeled a terrorist group. Under the nation’s state of emergency, journalists have been punished for interviewing political figures, dissidents and members of armed groups. The state of emergency was lifted in February.

Amir and another freelance video cameraman, Thomas Engida, were held as suspects but never charged with a crime, a representative of the AP said.

Ian Phillips, vice president of international news at The Associated Press, said the case shows how journalism is being criminalized and reporters harassed in Ethiopia. He emphasized that Amir was on a legitimate reporting trip and committed no crime.

“The crackdown on the media that this case represents, there is no true accusation that can be leveled against Amir,” Phillips told VOA in a March 25 interview prior to Amir’s release. “He is a respected, balanced journalist who has covered both sides of the conflict. He’s been picked up and this is an arbitrary detention and we have been calling on Ethiopian authorities to do the right thing and release him.”

Zecharias Zelalem, a Canada-based Ethiopian journalist whose work has appeared in Al Jazeera, said arrests like this drove him to sign an open letter calling on the government to respect media rights. He said 46 journalists were detained in 2021 in the country making Ethiopia one of the worst jailers of journalists in Africa.

“The general optimism that we had a couple of years ago with the much-heralded reform, with the promises that journalists would be able to operate unperturbed, this has not panned out,” Zecharias said. “The promises and the pledges did not materialize. And unfortunately for journalists, the situation is starting to mirror what we saw in 2009 when Ethiopia passed its infamous anti-terror proclamation, which was used to round up journalists en masse. So, we had to speak up about a very, very dire situation that our colleagues on the ground in Ethiopia are facing.”

When the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, there was widespread optimism about the direction the country was taking. Abiy was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the next year partly due to “granting amnesty to thousands of political prisoners” which included journalists and “discontinuing media censorship,”the committee wrote when making the announcement.

However, progress eroded and the country plunged into a civil war in November 2020. Journalists were intimidated, harassed and arrested.

It became virtually impossible to get accurate information from within Ethiopia once conflict intensified and the government imposed an internet communication blackout in some parts of the country where there was conflict.

Journalists have been prevented from reporting in areas where the Oromo Liberation Army, a rebel group that is fighting the central government, is active. Accurate information is hard to come by, experts say.

Zecharias said the reporting Amir was doing, traveling to an area of Oromia currently controlled by a rebel group, is vital since there is virtually no coverage of what daily life is like there.

“What he was carrying out was very important, crucial journalistic work,” he said. “Very few journalists have been able to gain access to areas under the control of the OLA to see what life has been like for hundreds of thousands if not millions of people in these areas, much of which have been subjected to internet and phone outages, we don’t have an accurate picture of.”

Amir’s lawyer Tadele Gebremedhin said his client was released on a 60,000 birr ($1,165) bail and ordered not to leave the country until his case is investigated. He said the journalists have been accused of working with foreign media outlets and “spoiling the country’s development plans” through negative reporting.

VOA reached out to the office of the prime minister and attorney general requesting comment but received no response.

As free press advocates continue to push for the fair treatment of journalists, arrests continue in Ethiopia. On March 31, four journalists were arrested in the Somali region of the country, according to local reports.

“We will continue to cover the story of journalists who are unjustly held. This is not acceptable behavior. These are arbitrary detentions,” Phillips said. “If there is proof of something, then that evidence has to be surfaced and has to go through a proper trial process, something that is extremely important to us at the AP and to our news organizations.”

Source: Voice of America

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NPR “Journalist” Utterly Failed to Provide Balanced Reporting by Confining Herself to Sheer Paraphrasing a One-sided Wild Allegations Against Eritrea

The Embassy of the State of Eritrea to the United States is appalled that WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti provided, perhaps unwittingly, a disinformation platform for TPLF collaborators on NPR’s On Point Radio Program that was broadcast under the title: “No Food, medicine or electricity – the truth about life in Ethiopia’s Tigray region”.

In the program, Ms. Chakrabarti allowed her biased guests to wallow on maligned comments about Eritrea without as much as asking them for rudimentary evidence on their wild allegations. A responsible “journalist” will have asked for evidence to ascertain the veracity of grave allegations. A responsible “journalist” will have invited guests with different views and perspectives. A responsible “journalist”, who presumably went to great length to obtain a ‘’recorded message” from Mekele will have checked authenticity and veracity of “witness statements” Apparently, none of these logical and mandatory steps that are vital for ensuring objectivity were taken.

One of her TPLF activist guests falsely alleges that “120,000 girls and women have been raped” by Eritrean forces. It is mind-boggling that such a comment did not deserve a follow-up with questions about evidence or investigations at the very least.

Unfortunate and sad as it is, literature on rampant, officially sanctioned rape and gender-based violence in Tigray Region under TPLF rule prior to the current conflict is available in the public domain. This deplorable situation had in fact prompted the launching of the “Enough/Yikhono Movement” by concerned women groups in Tigray Region in 2019. These grim facts were obviously beyond the radar screen of the radio program.

As pointed out above, Ms. Chakrabarti has utterly failed to provide balanced reporting as her guests were all parroting the false narrative of TPLF leaders. Her role seemed to be confined to sheer paraphrasing of their gratuitous vitriol against Eritrea without any serious attempt for validation and verification.

Time and time again, TPLF leaders have wickedly propagated fabricated dramas and utter falsehoods. The TPLF has routinely used its networks – it allocated a whopping 32 million US dollars that it had siphoned off when it was in power in the first ten months of 2020 alone for these purposes – and lobbying firms for access to, and amplification by, certain media outlets.

The TPLF’s preposterous allegations are motivated by, and intended for, deliberate misinformation. The sole aim is to sway public opinion in order to divert focus from the reckless War of Insurrection that it launched on November 3, 2020,

including its cruel and unprecedented high crimes of the slaughtering of Ethiopian soldiers in their sleep. The TPLF also bombed Asmara, the Eritrean capital, and other targets in the country hurling a total of 22 missile attacks in the space of few days. To date, the TPLF remains the architect of chaos and mayhem in the region.

The litany of TPLF criminality and malfeasance in the past three decades is indeed boundless. As underlined above, this has always been accompanied by lavish financial outlays and extensive media campaigns to hoodwink international public opinion. In this context, Ms. Chakrabarti radio program virtually endorses the continuance of the TPLF’s malicious disinformation campaign thereby contributing to confuse and mislead those with a less intimate awareness of the current crisis in Ethiopia.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Eritrea: Africa’s Cycling Champion

Eritrea, a young developing country with great potential in sport, has been making major strides in continental and international cycling competitions. It has so far produced world-class athletes: Daniel Teklehaymanot who wore King of the Mountain jersey in the Tour de France and many others who won African and world championships. Eritrea has become the undisputed African Cycling Champion eight times since 2010. The prowess of the Eritrean national cycling team, which also reflects the national mantra of Eritrea, at continental and international tournaments is being increasingly recognized by the sport community.

The Eritrean national cycling team has won the African Championship tournament for a record eight times. This year, it has garnered 15 medals, including seven gold, six silver and two bronze at the 18th African Cycling Championship held at the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh from 22 to 27 March. Henok Mulubrhan, a 22-year-old professional athlete, clinched the title of African Champion of the year 2022 by edging South African Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg and Algerian Hamza Amari. Henok is the sixth Eritrean athlete to become African Champion. Before him, Daniel Teklehaimanot (2010), Natnaiel Berhane (2011 and 2012), Tesfom Okbamariam (2013 and 2016), Amanuel Gebrezgabhier (2018) and Mekseb Debesay (2019) became champions of the African Continental Cycling Championship. The African Continental Cycling Championship is an annual cycling race being held since 2001.

Back in August 2010, President Issaias Afwerki said that “the Africa task is concluded” at his meeting with Eritrea’s National Team that became the champion of Africa and Tour Rwanda for the year. He nudged the athletes to widen their horizon and compete at international levels and grand world tours. Soon, Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus achieved the vision by becoming the first black Africans to compete at Tour de France. Recently, in October 2021, Biniam Ghirmay competed against world athletes in the under-23 men’s road race in Belgium to become the first black African to win a silver medal in the world championship.

While the Eritrean National Team was competing for African championship in Sharm el-Sheikh, the professional Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay finished first at the prestigious Gent Wevelgem competition in Belgium. He became the first African cyclist to win in the world’s classic tour in Belgium, Europe. Up on his victory, Biniam said, “It was a big moment for me, for my continent, for Eritrea and especially for black cycling, to show our potential to the world.” Eritrean athletes have experienced many such epic moments in history to become a pride for Eritrea and Africa. Eritrean cyclists are used to standing on every podium of major tournaments. Biniam Girmay will appear on Giro d’Italia in May to, hopefully, write a new chapter of success for himself, Eritrea and Africa.

Sport, in general, and cycling, in particular, have always been part of life in Eritrea. The bicycle is a popular mode of transport and entertainment of the young and adults. Cycling is not only viewed as an athletic activity, it’s rather a tradition. The physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of Eritreans is closely related with cycling. At the same time, the government’s enormous attention plays a critical role for its development. The many Eritrean cyclists who excelled in major international competitions provide additional impetus to the young for increased interest in sports. The pioneering heroes became role models for many young Eritreans to be into cycling intensely.

At the country level, the organization of sport in Eritrea stretches from grassroots (schools, local administrations, army units) to the national level. The National Commission of Culture and Sport is the umbrella for all the sports federations and plays a major role in formulating and implementing the national policy on Sports. Various sport clubs are operating in Eritrea’s six administrative regions.

Sport, especially big events such as the Olympics and continental and international championships, plays a vital role in nation building by inspiring national pride. The sporting victory Eritrea has gained through cycling is a symbolic expression of the general condition of the country. As sport is entwined with national identity, athletics, in general, and cycling, in particular, can serve as manifestations of the Eritrean national identity. Indeed, it is widely accepted that sports diplomacy is primarily aimed at building peace, friendship, cooperation, and mutual understanding between peoples that Eritrea has fought to achieve.

Eritrea’s success in sport is no accident. The remarkable achievement in cycling is the outcome of both organizational competency of sport administration and indefatigable individual efforts of the athletes. The achievement being scored in sport would help Eritrea to stand out not only in international sports but also in the international system as a whole.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Yohannes Kolmodin: His works in the History and Culture of Eritrea

He is a former Journalist and an author who has recently published a historical book on Eritrea. While doing other researches, he found important materials about the Eritrean society from before more than 100 years. Then he decided to do further research and compile a small book with a rich cultural and linguistic texture. ‘Yohannes Kolmodin: His works in the History and Culture of Eritrea’ is a piece that is both informative and resourceful. It says a lot about the Eritrean culture and is a springboard to other studies and researches in the area. Here is our interview with the author of the book, Mr. Tedros Mhretu.

Thank you for your time Mr. Tedros, please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Tedros Mhretu. I was born in Ethiopia and came to Eritrea at the age of 11 and stayed until I completed high school at Barka Secondary School in Asmara. Then I left for Sweden and took my first degree in international relations and my Masters in International Relations and Journalism. Then I worked for different media outlets in Sweden such as Dagens Nheter, Swedish radio and Deutche Welle. I had worked in the positions of a reporter and editor. Then I came to Eritrea around 2010-2011 to introduce Yohannes Kolmodin and his book; ‘The Story of Hazega and Tseazega’. It was after 2011 that I discovered he had collected a vast amount of manuscripts from Eritrea. So, then I came to Asmara to introduce him and his works to the people. As part of that, I wrote an article on Haddas Eritra, a National Tigrigna Newspaper. The article mostly introduced Yohannes Kolmodin and his footprints in Eritrea. It was published in June 2012.

After that, I received a lot of feedback from readers most of which suggested for it to be upgraded to a book. Many questions then came to my head, but in the end I decided to do additional research and develop it into a book. Even after I decided to write it, it took me a long time before I actually started to do my research.

What initiated your interest on Yohannes Kolmodin and His works?

The main reason that grasped my interest to study Yohannes and his work is when I came across his book many years ago. Then parallel to my journalism studies, I had interest in different types of historical events in the times of Kolmodin in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. Then I knew he had written a book but didn’t know about the other manuscripts he had on Eritrea.

I found out about the other aspects of his works while going through other research materials in the Horn of Africa. I came across a book in which he was referenced to, that he collected Eritrean literature. That became the beginning of my research on Yohannes Kolmodin and his time in Eritrea. That was eye opening for me and got me curious so I came to Uppsala University and I ordered the materials that were collected during his name. When it arrived, it was surprisingly a big package; it got me stunned. So, I decided to take my time with it, go over it one by one. To look closely at the content and what use could come out of it. And it was handwritten, mostly by Yohannes himself. He was well versed in Tigrigna, Tigre, Blen and Kunama. So, when I discovered this treasure, it was a big surprise and I told myself that I had to do something about it.

Writing a book about him was not something that I set for at first. The first idea I had was introducing t h i s information on Yohannes and his work to the Eritrean people . Then as I mentioned earlier, I came back to Eritrea and wrote a big article on the general introduction of the historical researcher and his works on Eritrean literature; uncovered that he had done more than ‘The Story of Hazega and Tseazega’. Then after I received a lot of feedback from readers, I convinced myself that I had to write a book about him. I was very impressed when I discovered the works he had done and the manuscripts he had collected during his time in Eritrea between 1908 and 1911. It was quite impressive and had me motivated to write a book about it.

Can you give us a short summary of this book?

This book is titled, “Yohannes Kolmodin: His works in the History and Culture of Eritrea”. The first section is composed of four chapters. The first chapter being about the background of Yohannes Kolmodin, the second one deals with Yohannes’ stay in Eritrea from 1908 to 1910. It outlines what he did, his goals in this area and the challenges and encounters that he had. The third chapter mainly discusses his main book, ‘The story of Hazega and Tseazega’, its contents, the aim it was written for and the storytellers in the book. I identified them one by one and found many letters that were exchanged between Yohannes and his assistants, Yohannes and his family in Sweden, in Uppsala University.

In chapter four, you will find the aspects of Yohannes Kolmodin’s works outside of Eritrea. He came to Eritrea when he was 24 years old; inexperienced and came right out of school but he was a very exceptional person. He could speak more than 27 languages, including four from Eritrea. After he came back to Sweden in 1910, he did his research and wrote his PhD dissertation about Hazega and Tseazega. After that, he worked as part of the students’ movement in Sweden. He did a lot of things and got involved in many political issues of his time; issues of the first world war inside and outside of his country. Then he moved to Turkey in 1917 and stayed there until 1930. So, for thirteen years, he was working in Turkey; fluent in Turkish and even made big contributions in the development of the Turkish script from Arabic to Latin. Yohannes was an important part of the transition. So, chapter four is all about the works he has done and manuscripts he has collected outside of Eritrea.

Section two deals with all the materials and manuscripts he had collected during his stay in Eritrea. It is not possible for me to put all the materials he has collected in one book so I have been selective about the manuscripts that I showcased in my book. It is a load of information and requires a research as big, so I had to be selective. Thereafter, I did other researches on the ones that I selected, because some materials were missing and I couldn’t identify some of the personalities mentioned in them. We did an extensive research with Mr. Solomon Tsehaye, an Eritrean author of such fields.

What did you want to achieve by writing this book?

The aim of this book is multifaceted. As you can see, it’s a small book but it is rich in content. First I was trying to introduce him and then the works he has done in Eritrea, those who supported him, the source of his information, the story tellers. I have identified most of the actors and stakeholders in his collections. It is also to introduce this kind of material that have been collected more than a hundred years ago. It is very raw, just a bunch of cultural and linguistic experiences. We have lost touch of some of the words that you find in this manuscripts; they are almost foreign to us now. To study and recall the original version of the languages that were spoken by those people that existed more than 100 years ago is very exciting. The question is how we can adopt, use and include it in our daily linguistics.

That being the primary objective, the second is for the book to serve as a reference and a starting point for deeper and further linguistic and cultural studies. So, for those who are interested or in the field of history, language and archaeology, it is a good material, a foundation to build something out of it. Yohannes himself was not bound to one field of study. Though by profession he was focused on Semitic languages, he had multiple works he was engaged in.

People will be able to know a deeper version of their history and the languages of their forefathers. You can see how rich and beautiful the languages and cultures are just by going through some of the manuscripts. And more than admiring it, we can also adopt it. So, it’s useful for both the professional and non-professional part of the society.

Moreover, another big thing about this book is that it has inculcated information to the readers. It was released in Sweden about 2-3 months ago and it was confirmed to be eye opening for many people because not many people knew that this kind of culture, language and information was collected and well noted. Our stories are normally based on oral traditions; the information is orally passed down from one generation to another.

What makes the information Yohannes collected important is the fact that they were collected in a written form. So, now, I expect the book to have the intended informative effect on the people; about their culture, language, tradition, history; how it was formed and developed, written and spoken. As for the professionals, I expect this piece to come in handy as a motivation and a source for them to develop their studies.

What are your upcoming writing projects?

I am set to becoming a full time writer. So, as I have been working as a journalist and other related fields for a very long time, I am planning to engage in comprehensive studies and write books. I will hopefully release another work very soon. I have thrown in the bait and I expect it to serve as a stepping stone for other researches. There is a lot of information that has been uncovered after I have published this book and that too could be an additional source to the materials on the table. So, now, it’s up to other people’s initiative to take up the work. Of course I will update it someday because I have found new information about his assistant, Bahta Tesfayohannes, which was very instrumental to the completion of the story of Hazega and Tseazega. I didn’t know who this man was and what background he came from. It is now after I published this book that his relatives contacted me and gave me some background information about him. Now I know he was an important part of the picture and had to be included. In addition, I have come across some other information that can come in handy; information about the people who Yohannes Kolmodin has mentioned in his book, their direct descendants and so on. So, I am still collecting all the additional information that is flowing in after I have published my book but I will gather it and use it to update this version of my book.

Thank you very much. If you have any final remarks?

My message is that we have to focus on our history, background and cultures. I understand that we are going through a difficult time and struggle now, as we have always been for a long time, but we always need to maintain our focus. Above all, reading is the most important thing here. So, my message wraps up into “Read, Read, and Read”.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Rapeseed cultivation: a promising initiative towards oilseed production

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has assessed the pilot rapeseed cultivation project which was conducted in the previous season on 76 hectares across the Central and Southern regions.

According to Ms. Merry Kahsay, Agronomy expert at the Crop and Livestock Development Division, the MoA began rapeseed multiplication in 2010 through the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). Even though rapeseed cultivation in Eritrea goes back to 10 years, its introduction to farmers has been delayed for several reasons, particularly because of post-harvest and oil processing issues.

During the rainy season of 2021, the MoA undertook another initiative to demonstrate rapeseed cultivation in piloted areas of Central and Southern Region, Ms. Merry explained. In line with this initiative, the MoA tested an oil extracting machine in its Kehawta workshop to encourage farmers to produce rapeseed for oil production.

She also outlined that before distributing the seed, which was supplied by NARI, the MoA conducted a series of public awareness raising programs. These covered numerous topics, including rapeseed management, fertilizer and moisture requirement, sowing time, sowing rate and methodology, weeding and thinning, pests and diseases, and harvesting.

Subsequently, 58 hectares of land in six sub-regions of the Southern region (Dubarwa, Medefera, EmniHayli, Dekemhare, Segeneyti and Adi qeyih) and 18 hectares of land in the Central region (sub-regions of Asmara, Galanefhi, and Berik) were piloted, Ms. Merry indicated.

In total, 300 farmers participated in the project, including 32 females. “Learning from the previous challenges and experiences, the Ministry has a plan to expand rapeseed multiplication vigorously in the coming season to make it one of the important oil crops, like sesame and cotton, which are cultivated mostly in the Gash Barka region,” Ms. Merry stated.

Mr. Tekle Teferi is a senior researcher at the Crop Improvement Division of the NARI. According to him, rapeseed crop was primarily introduced in Halhale for trial purposes in 2010. At that time, a number of improved rapeseed varieties were imported and a series of trials were carried out to examine their climatic adaptation and yield potential in different areas. Afterward, two varieties which demonstrated satisfactory performance were selected for multiplication and then distributed to farmers through the Agricultural Extension Department.

Mr. Tekle explained that the yield of rapeseed is greatly influenced by the availability of water and climatic suitability. The yield potential of the two selected rapeseed varieties ranges from 12-14 quintals per hectare under rainfed farming and 18-20 quintals per hectare if supplemented with irrigation. The crop reaches harvest between 90-120 days and does better in clay and clay loam soil with good drainage.

Mr. Tekle underscored that rapeseed is an oil crop that has around 35 percent oil content. Moreover, it has a number of advantages in that it is a good and attractive source of pollen for honey bees and its bagasse and cake are also good fodder for animals. Overall, if rapeseed is properly managed, it can be a rewarding cash crop and has great potential to be one of the most important oil crops in the country.

Experiences of Local Experts and Farmers

Mendefera sub-region

Mr. Mihreteab Negash is a crop production expert in the sub-region of Mendefera. He explained that the sub-region is famous for its multi-crop variety cultivation, which includes field crops, pulses, oil crops, and fruits and vegetables. Livestock production and beekeeping are also commonly practiced. He recalled that rapeseed was cultivated on a trial basis five years ago and went on to note that, “This year, we tried to cultivate it among six exemplary farmers, and the yield was promising.” He concluded that other farmers are also motivated to join the initiative if they can find a market for their harvest.

Mr. Kahsay Haile is one of the most progressive farmers in the region and he has been involved in different agricultural activities since 1999. He described how he has been acquainted with oil plants, like olive trees, for many years.

“When I was asked by the Ministry of Agriculture to cultivate rapeseed in the previous summer, I didn’t hesitate because I have an ambition to focus on oil seeds for commercial purposes. That’s why I cultivated a number of olive trees in the past. Currently, my olive trees have began bearing fruits,” he explained.

Commenting on management practices and harvest, he indicated that the sub-region of Mendefera possesses suitable climatic conditions for rapeseed cultivation. After he had irrigated his farmland, he harvested around 23 quintals per hectare. Looking forward, Mr. Kahsay also stated that he will expand his activities further in the coming rainy season.

Segeneyti sub-region

Mr. Iyassu Asefaw is head of the Agriculture Office in the sub-region of Segeneyti, an area with a large number of farmers involved in the rapeseed cultivation initiative.

Mr. Iyassu explained that there were 113 farmers from 18 villages involved in the iniatitive, working on more than 26 hectares of land.

“We received 210 kilograms of seed and were recommended to plant 8 kilograms of rapeseed per hectare. Since it was our first time and we were aiming to multiply seeds, around 20 hectares were cultivated under irrigation. The rest were cultivated under rainfed conditions” he explained, before adding, “Even though we didn’t meet the ideal yield in our first experience, we will strive to improve performance in the coming year.”.

To encourage farmers, the government purchased the harvested seed at approximately 25 percent higher than the actual market price.

Furthermore, Mr. Iyassu described how the initiative has expanded awareness and brought farmers together to share their experiences. Now, more farmers understand that rapeseed is important for biodiversity improvement. With bees especially drawn to its flowers, many beekeepers are also motivated to cultivate it in the coming season.

Finally, Mr. Iyassu stated that there were some minor challenges in that the crop was repeatedly attacked by weeds, especially during its initial growth stages, while harvesting is laborious and susceptible to bird attack.

Mr. Teame Ghebreslasie is a vegetable farmer residing in Adi- Baekel, Segeneyti sub-zone. He is a successful farmer, particularly when it comes to wheat and potato seeds multiplication.

Mr. Teame explained that before planting rapeseed, training and support was provided by experts from the regional and central MoA offices.

He described his experience, stating, “I cultivated the seed on a half hectare of land and harvested around 2.33 quintals. While the yield could have been better, I am convinced that with experience and proper management it can easily be cultivated in our area. I have learnt a lot with regards to its management practices and will cultivate it in a more organized way in the coming season.”

Mr. Teame also mentioned its importance as a bee forage, and thanked the MoA for the initiative and support.

Another participant in the initiative was Priest Mehari Habtetsion, a farmer living in Degra-Merieto who cultivates vegetables and crops.

He recalled that he was slightly hesitant about the initiative because he lacked experience with cultivating rapeseed. “However, after I received adequate guidance and information from the Ministry, I joined the initiative. I cultivated a half hectare of land and harvested around 3 quintals,” he explained.

He also pointed out that the experience he gained from participating in this pilot project would serve as a stepping stone to his future plans.

Global records indicate that following soya bean and palm oil, rapeseed is the third most important source of vegetable oil in the world. Its oil content ranges from 33-40 percent The oil extractor machine modified by engineers from the MoA has been able to extract about 30 percent oil from previously harvested local seeds.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Regular meeting of Northern Red Sea Region Assembly

The Northern Red Sea Region Assembly held its 17th regular meeting on 29 and 30 March under the theme “Sovereign Country for Generations”.

Indicating that heavy sacrifice has been paid and is being paid to handover to generations a sovereign and developed country in which social justice prevails, Mr. Ibrahim Ali Sheik, Chairman of the regional Assembly, called for integrated effort to strengthen development programs aimed at improving the livelihoods of the public.

At the meeting, reports on the implemented development programs of 2021 and charted out programs for 2022 have been presented and members of the Assembly conducted extensive discussion.

The participants also discussed on the efforts that are being exerted and challenges encountered to ensure potable water supply and health of the society, activities to develop students’ school enrolment, as well as to boost agricultural production and water and soil conservation activities.

They also adopted various recommendations including to provide educational opportunity to school aged children, alleviate potable water supply problems in Dahlak, Bada, Naro, Kilamet and Afabet town, as well as to introduce community based environmental sanitation program.

The Assembly also conducted extensive discussion on the charted-out development programs for 2022.

Pointing out that listening and addressing demands of the public is the responsibility of the Assembly, Ms. Asmeret Abraha, Governor of the Northern Red Sea Region, called on the members of Assembly to play a leading role in encouraging the public to reinforce participation in the implementation of the charted-out development drives.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Meeting on increasing agricultural production and productivity

The Governor of the Gash Barka Region, Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hiruy stated that strong effort is being exerted in cooperation with government institutions, the public and members of the Defense Forces, to boost agricultural production and productivity as well as to introduce efficient water and land utilization in the region.

Ambassador Mahmud made the statement at a meeting conducted on 28 March in Mensura with area administrators, members of the regional assembly, representatives of the public and government institutions and national associations, as well as village coordinators and Army Commanders.

Ambassador Mahmud further stated that alongside the implementation of the charted-out development programs, sustainable awareness raising campaigns have been conducted with the objective of boosting production and productivity as well as efficient use of water resources and land management.

Ambassador Mahmud also called on administrators, village coordinators and representative of the public to strengthen participation in the effective implementation of the charted-out development programs.

Indicating that last summer agricultural production has been low due to low precipitation, Ambassador Mahmud reminded participants to strengthen participation in water and soil conservation activities as well as storage of crops and fodder for both humans and livestock.

Participants on their part adopted various recommendations including tackling deforestation activities as well as immediate response to land allotment for agricultural and grazing activities.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea