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[DEHAI] State.gov: Background Note: Eritrea

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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Jun 16 2010 - 07:18:16 EDT

Background Note: Eritrea

June 14, 2010Bureau of African
Affairshttp://www.state.gov/cms_images/eritrea_flag_2003-worldfactbook.gif

_____

Official Name: State of Eritrea <http://www.state.gov/p/af/ci/er/>

http://www.state.gov/img/09/35041/eritrea_map_2009worldfactbook_300_1.jpg

PROFILE

Geography
Area: 125,000 sq. km. (48,000 sq. mi.); about the size of Pennsylvania.
Cities: Capital--Asmara (est. pop. 435,000). Other cities--Keren (57,000);
Assab (28,000); Massawa (25,000); Afabet (25,000); Tessenie (25,000);
Mendefera (25,000); Dekemhare (20,000); Adekeieh (15,000); Barentu (15,000);
Ghinda (15,000).
Terrain: Central highlands straddle escarpment associated with Rift Valley,
dry coastal plains, and western lowlands.
Climate: Temperate in the highlands; hot in the lowlands.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Eritrean(s).
Population (2008 est.): 4.9 million.
Annual population growth rate: 3%.
Ethnic groups: Tigrinya 50%, Tigre 31.4%, Saho 5%, Afar 5%, Beja 2.5%, Bilen
2.1%, Kunama 2%, Nara 1.5%, and Rashaida 0.5%.
Religions: Christian 50%, mostly Orthodox, Muslim 48%, indigenous beliefs
2%.
Education: Years compulsory--none. Attendance--elementary (net 2002) 45.2%;
secondary (net 2002) 21.2%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2003)--45/1,000. Life expectancy--52 yrs.
Work force: Agriculture--80%. Industry and commerce--20%.

Government
Type: Transitional government.
Independence: Eritrea officially celebrated its independence on May 24,
1993.
Constitution: Ratified May 24, 1997, but not yet implemented.
Branches: Executive--president, cabinet. Legislative--Transitional National
Assembly (does not meet). Judicial--Supreme Court.
Administrative subdivisions: Six administrative regions.
Political party: People's Front for Democracy and Justice (name adopted by
the Eritrean People's Liberation Front when it established itself as a
political party).
Suffrage: Universal, age 18 and above (although no national elections have
been held).
Central government budget (2005 est.): $485 million.
Defense (2004 est.): $185 million.

Economy
Real GDP (2008 est.): $1.65 billion.
Annual growth rate (2008 est.): 2%.
Per capita GNI (2008, World Bank): $640 (purchasing power parity); $300
(Atlas method).
Avg. inflation rate (2008 est.): 18%.
Mineral resources: Gold, copper, iron ore, potash, oil.
Agriculture (24% of GDP in 2007): Products--millet, sorghum, teff, wheat,
barley, flax, cotton, papayas, citrus fruits, bananas, beans and lentils,
potatoes, vegetables, fish, dairy products, meat, and skins. Cultivated
land--10% of arable land.
Industry (19% of GDP in 2007): Types--processed food and dairy products,
alcoholic beverages, leather goods, textiles, chemicals, cement and other
construction materials, salt, paper, and matches.
Trade: Exports (2005 est.)--$12 million: skins, meat, live sheep and cattle,
gum arabic. Major markets--Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Yemen), Europe
(Italy), Djibouti, and Sudan. Imports (2005 est.)--$474 million: food,
military materiel, and fuel, manufactured goods, machinery and
transportation equipment. Major suppliers--U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Italy,
Germany, Belgium.

GEOGRAPHY
Eritrea is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the northeast
and east by the Red Sea, on the west and northwest by Sudan, on the south by
Ethiopia, and on the southeast by Djibouti. The country has a high central
plateau that varies from 1,800 to 3,000 meters (6,000-10,000 ft.) above sea
level. A coastal plain, western lowlands, and some 300 islands comprise the
remainder of Eritrea's landmass. Eritrea has no year-round rivers.

The climate is temperate in the mountains and hot in the lowlands. Asmara,
the capital, is about 2,300 meters (7,500 ft.) above sea level. Maximum
temperature is 26o C (80o F). The weather is usually sunny and dry, with the
short or belg rains occurring February-April and the big or meher rains
beginning in late June and ending in mid-September.

PEOPLE
Eritrea's population comprises nine ethnic groups, most of whom speak
Semitic or Cushitic languages. The Tigrinya and Tigre make up four-fifths of
the population and speak different, but somewhat mutually intelligible,
Semitic languages. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands,
while Muslims and adherents of traditional beliefs live in lowland regions.
Tigrinya and Arabic are the most frequently used languages for commercial
and official transactions. In urban areas, English is widely spoken and is
the language used for secondary and university education.

HISTORY
Prior to Italian colonization in 1885, what is now Eritrea had been ruled by
the various local or international powers that successively dominated the
Red Sea region. In 1896, the Italians used Eritrea as a springboard for
their disastrous attempt to conquer Ethiopia. Eritrea was placed under
British military administration after the Italian surrender in World War II.
In 1952, a UN resolution federating Eritrea with Ethiopia went into effect.
The resolution ignored Eritrean pleas for independence but guaranteed
Eritreans some democratic rights and a measure of autonomy. Almost
immediately after the federation went into effect, however, these rights
began to be abridged or violated.

In 1962, Emperor Haile Sellassie unilaterally dissolved the Eritrean
parliament and annexed the country, sparking the Eritrean fight for
independence from Ethiopia that continued after Haile Sellassie was ousted
in a coup in 1974. The new Ethiopian Government, known as the Derg, was a
Marxist military junta led by Ethiopian strongman Mengistu Haile Miriam.

During the 1960s, the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) led the Eritrean
independence struggle. In 1970, some members of the group broke away to form
the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). By the late 1970s, the EPLF
had become the dominant armed Eritrean group fighting against the Ethiopian
Government, with Isaias Afwerki as its leader. The EPLF used material
captured from the Ethiopian Army to fight against the government.

By 1977, the EPLF was poised to drive the Ethiopians out of Eritrea. That
same year, however, a massive airlift of Soviet arms to Ethiopia enabled the
Ethiopian Army to regain the initiative and forced the EPLF to retreat to
the bush. Between 1978 and 1986, the Derg launched eight major offensives
against the independence movement--all of which failed. In 1988, the EPLF
captured Afabet, headquarters of the Ethiopian Army in northeastern Eritrea,
prompting the Ethiopian Army to withdraw from its garrisons in Eritrea's
western lowlands. EPLF fighters then moved into position around Keren,
Eritrea's second-largest city. Meanwhile, other dissident movements were
making headway throughout Ethiopia. At the end of the 1980s, the Soviet
Union informed Mengistu that it would not be renewing the existing bilateral
defense and cooperation agreement. With the withdrawal of Soviet support and
supplies, the Ethiopian Army's morale plummeted, and the EPLF--along with
other Ethiopian rebel forces--advanced on Ethiopian positions.

The United States played a facilitative role in the peace talks in
Washington during the months leading up to the May 1991 fall of the Mengistu
regime. In mid-May, Mengistu resigned as head of the Ethiopian Government
and went into exile in Zimbabwe, leaving a caretaker government in Addis
Ababa. Later that month, the United States chaired talks in London to
formalize the end of the war. The four major combatant groups, including the
EPLF, attended these talks.

Having defeated the Ethiopian forces in Eritrea, EPLF troops took control of
their homeland. In May 1991, the EPLF established the Provisional Government
of Eritrea (PGE) to administer Eritrean affairs until a referendum could be
held on independence and a permanent government established. EPLF leader
Isaias became the head of the PGE, and the EPLF Central Committee served as
its legislative body.

A high-level U.S. delegation was present in Addis Ababa for the July 1-5,
1991 conference that established a transitional government in Ethiopia. The
EPLF attended the July conference as an observer and held talks with the new
transitional government regarding Eritrea's relationship to Ethiopia. The
outcome of those talks was an agreement in which the Ethiopians recognized
the right of the Eritreans to hold a referendum on independence.

Although some EPLF cadres had espoused a Marxist ideology, Soviet assistance
for Mengistu limited the level of Eritrean interest in seeking Soviet
support. The fall of communist regimes in the former Soviet Union and the
Eastern Bloc convinced the Eritreans it was a failed system. The EPLF (and
later its successor, the PFDJ) expressed commitment to establishing a
democratic form of government and a free-market economy in Eritrea. The
United States agreed to provide assistance to both Ethiopia and Eritrea,
conditional on continued progress toward democracy and human rights.

On April 23-25, 1993, Eritreans voted overwhelmingly for independence from
Ethiopia in a UN-monitored free and fair referendum. The Eritrean
authorities declared Eritrea an independent state on April 27, and Eritrea
officially celebrated its independence on May 24, 1993.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Eritrea's Government faced formidable challenges following independence.
With no constitution, no judicial system, and an education system in
shambles, the Eritrean Government was required to build institutions of
government from scratch. Currently, the Government of Eritrea exercises
strict control of political, social, and economic systems, with nearly no
civil liberties allowed.

On May 19, 1993, the PGE issued a proclamation regarding the reorganization
of the government. The government was reorganized, and after a national,
freely contested election, the Transitional National Assembly, which chose
Isaias as President of the PGE, was expanded to include both EPLF and
non-EPLF members. The EPLF established itself as a political party, the
People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). The PGE declared that
during a 4-year transition period it would draft and ratify a constitution,
draft a law on political parties, draft a press law, and carry out elections
for a constitutional government.

In March 1994, the PGE created a constitutional commission charged with
drafting a constitution flexible enough to meet the current needs of a
population suffering from 30 years of civil war as well as those of the
future, when prospective stability and prosperity would change the political
landscape. Commission members traveled throughout the country and to
Eritrean communities abroad holding meetings to explain constitutional
options to the people and to solicit their input. A new constitution was
ratified in 1997 but has not been implemented, and general elections have
not been held. The government had announced that Transitional National
Assembly elections would take place in December 2001, but those were
postponed and new elections have not been rescheduled.

The present government structure includes legislative, executive, and
judicial bodies. The legislature, the Transitional National Assembly,
comprises 75 members of the PFDJ and 75 additional popularly elected
members. The Transitional National Assembly is the highest legal power in
the government until the establishment of a democratic, constitutional
government. The legislature sets the internal and external policies of the
government, regulates implementation of those policies, approves the budget,
and elects the president of the country. The president nominates individuals
to head the various ministries, authorities, commissions, and offices, and
the Transitional National Assembly ratifies those nominations. The cabinet
is the country's executive branch. It is composed of 17 ministers and
chaired by the president. It implements policies, regulations, and laws and
is accountable to the Transitional National Assembly. The ministries are
agriculture; defense; education; energy and mines; finance; fisheries;
foreign affairs; health; information; labor and human welfare; land, water,
and environment; local governments; justice; public works; trade and
industry; transportation and communication; and tourism.

Nominally, the judiciary operates independently of both the legislative and
executive bodies, with a court system that extends from the village through
to the district, provincial, and national levels. In practice, however, the
independence of the judiciary is limited. In 2001, for example, the
president of the High Court was detained after criticizing the government
for judicial interference.

In September 2001, after several months in which a number of prominent PFDJ
party members had publicly aired grievances against the government and in
which they called for implementation of the constitution and the holding of
elections, the government instituted a crackdown. Eleven prominent
dissidents, members of what had come to be known as the Group of 15, were
arrested and held without charge in an unknown location. At the same time,
the government shut down the independent press and arrested its reporters
and editors, holding them incommunicado and without charge. In subsequent
weeks, the government arrested other individuals, including two Eritrean
employees of the U.S. Embassy.

Principal Government Officials
President of the State of Eritrea and Chairman of the Executive Council of
the PFDJ--Isaias Afwerki
Director, Office of the President--Yemane Ghebremeskel
Minister of Defense--Sebhat Ephrem
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Osman Saleh
Minister of Finance--Berhane Abrehe
Minister of National Development--Woldai Futur
Ambassador to the United States--Ghirmai Ghebremariam

Eritrea maintains an embassy in the United States at 1708 New Hampshire
Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202-319-1991).

ECONOMY
The Eritrean economy is largely based on agriculture, which employs 80% of
the population; as of 2007 it contributed 24% to GDP. Agricultural exports
include cotton, fruits and vegetables, hides, and meat, but farmers are
largely dependent on rain-fed agriculture, and growth in this and other
sectors is hampered by lack of a dependable water supply. Worker remittances
and other private transfers from abroad contribute about 32% of GDP.

While in the past the Government of Eritrea stated that it was committed to
a market economy and privatization, the government and the ruling PFDJ party
maintain complete control of the economy. The government has imposed an
arbitrary and complex set of regulatory requirements that discourage
investment from both foreign and domestic sources, and it often reclaims
successful private enterprises and property.

After independence, Eritrea had established a growing and healthy economy.
But the 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia had a major negative impact on the
economy and discouraged investment. Eritrea lost many valuable economic
assets during the last round of fighting in May-June 2000, when a
significant portion of its territory in the agriculturally important west
and south was occupied by Ethiopia. During this period, more than one
million Eritreans were displaced, although nearly all had been resettled by
2007. According to World Bank estimates, Eritreans also lost livestock worth
some $225 million, and 55,000 homes worth $41 million during the war. Damage
to public buildings, including hospitals, was estimated at $24 million. Much
of the transportation and communication infrastructure is outmoded and
deteriorating, although a large volume of intercity road-building activity
is currently underway. The government sought international assistance for
various development projects and mobilized young Eritreans serving in the
national service to repair crumbling roads and dams. In 2005, the government
asked the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to cease
operations in Eritrea.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), post-border war recovery
was impaired by four consecutive years of recurrent drought that have
reduced the already low domestic food production capacity. The government
reports that harvests have improved but provides no data to support these
claims. Eritrea currently suffers from large structural fiscal deficits
caused by high levels of spending on defense, which have resulted in the
stock of debt rising to unsustainable levels. Exports have collapsed due to
strict controls on foreign currencies and trade, as well as a closed border
with Ethiopia, which was the major trading partner for Eritrea prior to the
war. In 2006, Eritrea normalized relations with Sudan and began to open the
border to trade between the two countries. Large and persistent transfers
from Eritreans living abroad offer significant support to the economy.

The port in Massawa has been rehabilitated and is being developed. In
addition, the government has begun to export fish and sea cucumbers from the
Red Sea to markets in Europe and Asia on a limited basis. A newly
constructed airport in Massawa capable of handling jets could facilitate the
export of high-value perishable seafood.

DEFENSE
During the war for independence, the EPLF fighting force grew to almost
110,000 fighters, about 3% of the total population of Eritrea. In 1993,
Eritrea embarked on a phased program to demobilize 50%-60% of the army,
which had by then shrunk to about 95,000. During the first phase of
demobilization in 1993, some 26,000 soldiers--most of who enlisted after
1990--were demobilized. The second phase of demobilization, which occurred
the following year, demobilized more than 17,000 soldiers who had joined the
EPLF before 1990 and in many cases had seen considerable combat experience.
Many of these fighters had spent their entire adult lives in the EPLF and
lacked the social, personal, and vocational skills to become competitive in
the work place. As a result, they received higher compensation, more
intensive training, and more psychological counseling than the first group.
Special attention was given to women fighters, who made up some 30% of the
EPLF's combat troops. By 1998, the army had shrunk to 47,000.

The moves to demobilize were abruptly reversed after the outbreak of the
1998-2000 war with Ethiopia over the contested border. During the war, which
is estimated to have resulted in well over 100,000 casualties on the two
sides, Eritrea's armed forces expanded to close to 300,000 members, almost
10% of the population. This imposed a huge economic burden on the country.
The war ended with a cessation of hostilities agreement in June 2000,
followed by a peace agreement signed in December of the same year. The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that the economy shrank by more
than 8% in 2000, although it rebounded somewhat in 2001.

The government has been slow to demobilize its military after the end of the
conflict, although it formulated an ambitious demobilization plan with the
participation of the World Bank. A pilot demobilization program involving
5,000 soldiers began in November 2001 and was to be followed immediately
thereafter by a first phase in which some 65,000 soldiers would be
demobilized. This was delayed repeatedly. In 2003, the government began to
demobilize some of those slated for the first phase; however, the government
maintains a "national service" program, which includes most of the male
population between 18-40 and the female population between 18-27. The
program essentially serves as a reserve force and can be mobilized quickly.
There are estimates that one in twenty Eritreans actively serve in the
military.

Presently, the U.S. has no military-to-military cooperation with Eritrea.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Eritrea is a member of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA) and the African Union (AU), but does not participate actively in
the AU. Eritrea maintains diplomatic relations with the United States,
Italy, and several other European nations, including the United Kingdom,
Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. Relations with these countries became
strained as a result of the 2001 government crackdown against political
dissidents and others, the closure of the independent press, and limits on
civil liberties.

Eritrea's relations with its neighbors are strained. Eritrea and Djibouti
had a military confrontation in June 2008 along their border. In January
2009, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for Eritrea to
withdraw to positions of the status quo ante, acknowledge its border dispute
with Djibouti, engage actively in dialogue to defuse the tension, and engage
in diplomatic efforts leading to a mutually acceptable settlement of the
border issue. Eritrea has not complied with the UN resolution. The situation
remains unresolved. Although a territorial dispute with Yemen over the
Haynish Islands was settled by international arbitration, tensions over
traditional fishing rights with Yemen resurfaced in 2002. The relationship
to date remains cordial. Relations with Sudan also were colored by
occasional incidents involving the extremist group, Eritrean Islamic Jihad
(EIJ)--which the Eritrean Government believes is supported by the National
Islamic Front government in Khartoum--and by continued Eritrean support for
the Sudanese opposition coalition, the National Democratic Alliance. Eritrea
normalized relations with Sudan in 2006.

Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Dispute
Following the 1998-2000 war, a UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), was established and monitored a
25-kilometer-wide Temporary Security Zone separating the two sides. Eritrean
restrictions on UNMEE led to its termination in July 2008.

Per the terms of the cessation of hostilities agreement, two commissions
were established: one to delimit and demarcate the border and the other to
weigh compensation claims by both sides. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary
Commission (EEBC) announced its decision in April 2002. Demarcation was
expected to begin in 2003, but did not progress due to disagreements between
the parties. The EEBC announced a demarcation decision effective November
2007. Eritrea accepted the decision, but Ethiopia rejected it. The situation
remains at an impasse.

In August 2009, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission (EECC) delivered its
final awards regarding international law violations during the 1998-2000
border war. The Claims Commission awarded Eritrea $161 million for damages
caused by Ethiopia with an additional $2 million for individual claims.
Ethiopia was awarded $174 million for damages caused by Eritrea. Eritrea
cited interference which impaired the administration of justice and
challenged the plausibility of evidence but announced it accepts the award
of the Claims Commission without equivocation.

U.S.-ERITREAN RELATIONS
The U.S. consulate in Asmara was first established in 1942. In 1953, the
United States signed a mutual defense treaty with Ethiopia. The treaty
granted the United States control and expansion of the important British
military communications base at Kagnew near Asmara. In the 1960s, as many as
4,000 U.S. military personnel were stationed at Kagnew. In the 1970s,
technological advances in the satellite and communications fields made the
communications station at Kagnew increasingly obsolete. In 1974, Kagnew
Station drastically reduced its personnel complement. In early 1977, the
United States informed the Ethiopian Government that it intended to close
Kagnew Station permanently by September 30, 1977. In the meantime, U.S.
relations with the Mengistu regime were worsening. In April 1977, Mengistu
abrogated the 1953 mutual defense treaty and ordered a reduction of U.S.
personnel in Ethiopia, including the closure of Kagnew Communications Center
and the consulate in Asmara. In August 1992, the United States reopened its
consulate in Asmara, staffed with one officer. On April 27, 1993, the United
States recognized Eritrea as an independent state, and on June 11,
diplomatic relations were established, with a charg� d'affaires. The first
U.S. Ambassador arrived later that year.

In the past, the United States has provided substantial assistance to
Eritrea, including food and development. In FY 2004, the United States
provided over $65 million in humanitarian aid to Eritrea, including $58.1
million in food assistance and $3.47 million in refugee support. In 2005,
the Government of Eritrea told USAID to cease operations. At the Eritrean
Government's request, the United States no longer provides bilateral
development assistance to Eritrea.

U.S. interests in Eritrea include encouraging Eritrea to contribute to
regional stability, consolidating the peace with Ethiopia and Djibouti,
encouraging progress toward establishing a democratic political culture,
supporting Eritrean efforts to become constructively involved in solving
regional problems, assisting Eritrea in dealing with its humanitarian and
development needs, and promoting economic reform.

Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador-- <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/94859.htm> Ronald K.
McMullen
Deputy Chief of Mission--Melinda Tabler-Stone
Political/Economic Officer--Ian Rozdilsky
Consular Officer--Pamela Hack
Management Officer--Janine Young
Public Affairs Officer--vacant

The address of the <http://eritrea.usembassy.gov/> U.S. Embassy in Eritrea
is 28 Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, P.O. Box 211, Asmara (tel.
291-1-120-004; fax: 291-1-127-584).

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises
Americans traveling and residing abroad through Country Specific
Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings. Country Specific
Information exists for all countries and includes information on entry and
exit requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, safety and
security, crime, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S.
embassies and consulates abroad. Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate
information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term
conditions overseas that pose significant risks to the security of American
travelers. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends
that Americans avoid travel to a certain country because the situation is
dangerous or unstable.

The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens traveling or residing
abroad to register via the
<http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_1186.html
> State Department's travel registration website or at the nearest U.S.
embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your presence and
whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and
will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security conditions.

Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained
by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular
toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.

The <http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_898.html> National
Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single,
centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone:
1-877-4-USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778); TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Passport
information is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You may speak with a
representative Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding
federal holidays.

Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and a web site at
<http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx>
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx give the most recent health
advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food
and drinking water safety for regions and countries. The CDC publication
"Health Information for International Travel" can be found at
<http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx>
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx.

Further Electronic Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at
<http://www.state.gov/> http://www.state.gov, the Department of State web
site provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy
information, including <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/> Background Notes
and <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/> daily press briefings along with
the directory of <http://www.state.gov/m/a/gps/directory/> key officers of
Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council
(OSAC) provides security information and regional news that impact U.S.
companies working abroad through its website <http://www.osac.gov/>
http://www.osac.gov

<http://www.export.gov/> Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related
assistance and market information offered by the federal government and
provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process,
and more.

<http://www.stat-usa.gov/> STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S.
Department of Commerce, provides authoritative economic, business, and
international trade information from the Federal government. The site
includes current and historical trade-related releases, international market
research, trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides access to
the <http://www.stat-usa.gov/tradtest.nsf> National Trade Data Bank.

An Eritrean woman in the highland of Senafe, Eritrea, March 14, 2006. [� AP
Images]An Eritrean woman in the highland of Senafe, Eritrea, March 14, 2006.
[� AP Images]

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