Donors reconsider aid

Donor nations are currently re-evaluating their aid policy on Eritrea following the Eritrean government's apparent crackdown on political opponents and the independent press, diplomatic and NGO sources told IRIN. Following the arrest last month of 11 former government members, the indefinite closure of the independent press, and the arrest of at least nine of its journalists, donor representatives in Asmara told IRIN that while they expected to see a continuation of humanitarian and emergency aid to Eritrea, they now expected to see a marked reduction in development aid. One NGO spokesman told IRIN, "It's very possible that new monies for development projects... will be cut." Donor nations, particularly the European Union (EU), whose senior representative, Italian Ambassador Antonio Bandini, was expelled from Eritrea last week, are yet to announce any punitive measures, but are known to be deeply concerned over recent political developments in Eritrea. The EU said in a statement on Wednesday that future funding commitments to Eritrea would be contingent on Eritrea fulfilling the terms of the Cotonou agreement, which specifies that EU funds to developing counties must be tied to their commitment to a free press, good governance and the full observance of human rights. The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Walter Kannsteiner, has also voiced concern, saying the recent actions of the Eritrean government did not "bode well", for relations between it and the US.