Food security is a priority, says Isayas

Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki has said food security is his country's priority, but acknowledged that self-sufficiency and economic stability would not be achieved immediately. "Food security remains the priority of the priorities," Isayas said in a speech on Tuesday to mark 14 years of independence. "It is clear that food security cannot be achieved in one day." It would take "a long way to resolve all economic problems", he added. While Eritrea had implemented most major initiatives to replace traditional farming methods with modern agricultural practices, Isayas said, delays in the importation of heavy equipment and the high price of oil had impacted negatively on development programmes. Eritrea attained independence from Ethiopia in 1991 after a war that lasted 30 years. However, the two countries took up arms again 1998 over a border dispute. Although that conflict ended with a truce in 2000, both countries are still reeling from the effects of the military confrontation. Fuel shortages and a lack of basic commodities and foreign investment have further affected Eritrea's economy, a situation that has been aggravated by four years of drought. This year, 2.3 million people out of Eritrea's population of 3.8 million are in need of food assistance. Between 10 percent and 20 percent of all children under age five are malnourished. Compounding it's economic problems is the conscription of able-bodied men into the army, which has curtailed agricultural production, according to international aid agencies. "There could be abundant natural endowments or even ‘manna from heaven’," Isayas said. "[But] sustainable development will ultimately depend on the national resources and capabilities to implement the desired objectives without dependence or reliance on others," he added. "Our ambition in infrastructural development, particularly the construction of roads and housing, is really huge. The projects implemented are dwarfed by these aspirations," the president said. He said his country had reached "a turning point where Eritrea has acquired an effective and enormous capability for rapid development progress." In a bid to achieve its development goals, the Eritrean government recently increased state intervention in economic policy. In a tough move against foreign-currency traders two months ago, Eritrea tried to gain control of all foreign-currency transactions. The government also strengthened government-owned companies and reduced the number of private traders drastically. "Trade policies [were] introduced to ensure that the domestic market is not monopolised by a few and greedy merchants," the president said.