Envoy warns of "terrorist elements" abroad

Eritrea's ambassador to the UN has warned that an umbrella organisation - known as the Alliance of Eritrean National Forces - has bases in foreign countries and requested international assistance to counter "terrorist elements". In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Ahmed Tahir Baduri said the Eritrean Jihad "terrorist movements" which were "members of the Al-Qaeda network", were part of this Alliance. "This umbrella organisation has bases and physical presence in some neighbouring and a number of western countries," he said. "These groups continue to obtain sanctuary as well as financial and other forms of assistance in western capitals." "Terrorism is not a new phenomenon to my country," he added. "The State of Eritrea has lived it since its formal independence in 1993 as the youngest country in Africa." "As the fight against international terrorism assumes high priority warranting concerted action, the government of Eritrea requests full cooperation and joint action from the countries where these terrorist elements live, plan and launch their operations," he said. He also pledged that Eritrea would "continue to fight terrorism in all its forms". The Alliance of Eritrean National Forces - which includes several exiled groups - was established in 1999. According to its charter, it says it "will use all necessary means to overthrow the regime of [the ruling] People's Front [for Democracy and Justice, PFDJ]" and set up a "government of national unity". Elsewhere in his speech, Ahmed Tahir Baduri outlined Eritrea's "five core principles" for the country's development as follows: "(a) Developing the capabilities of our people as the principal asset and driving force of our development endeavour; (b) Establishing strong public-private sector partnership; (c) Striving for self-reliance and avoiding chronic and debilitating dependency; (d) Protecting the environment from the adverse effects of development programmes; and, (e) Establishing effective development partnership with multilateral and bilateral development agencies, governments, and non-governmental organisations." He also appealed for international assistance to cope with the ongoing drought in Eritrea.