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Country Program Materials
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USAID/Eritrea Links
USAID/Eritrea
Mission
Mission Director:
Local Address:
- 34 Zera Yacob Street
Asmara
Eritrea
Tel: 291-1-126-546
Fax: 291-1-123-093
From the US:
- DOS/USAID
7170 Asmara Place
Washington, D.C.
20521-7170
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USAID's Strategy in Eritrea 2002 was a transitional year, as Eritrea attempted to revive
its economy and restore infrastructure affected by the 1998-2000
war with Ethiopia. The devastating impact of the war is still
being felt in all sectors, especially with labor shortages
due to delays in the planned demobilization of approximately
200,000 soldiers. Exports have decreased dramatically due
to the war, the slow development of the private sector, and
the cessation of trade with Ethiopia. The country is dependent
on support from abroad, both from official donors and private
remittances. Government expenditures on productive sectors
and social services are low. The HIV/AIDS prevalence is moderate,
but the disease already strains Eritrea's limited trained
human resource base and fledgling institutional capacity.
A severe drought reduced agricultural production in 2002.
Hence, Eritrea will continue to face critical development
challenges for some time to come, and aggressive economic
and political reforms will be needed to meet these challenges
while Eritrea continues to provide a safety net for the poor. The United States has four key foreign policy interests in
Eritrea: maintaining regional stability, combating global
terrorism, promoting the establishment of a democratic system
and economic development. To these ends, the U.S. seeks to
ensure that the uneasy peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia
becomes a lasting one.
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