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EU: we give funds to Eritrea to stop immigration
After the arrival in Europe of 37,000 Eritrean migrants in 2014, the EU allocates a package of 300 million to solve the root problem of immigration. From Italy will be allocated a bilateral aid from 2.5 mln. Meanwhile, Asmara urges our country to "get busy in concrete", and to take leadership in addressing the migration emergency in the Mediterranean.
Monday, April 13, 2015
ROME (askanews) - After the arrival in Europe of 37,000 Eritrean migrants in 2014, Italy and the European Union have restarted a dialogue with Asmara to try to resolve the issue at the root of migration flows, also discussing the possible economic aid to support the economic development of the country in the Horn of Africa. Asmara is discussing with the EU an aid to more than 300 million euro for the period 2014-20, while Italy would propose to restart, after 10 years, the relations of cooperation, with a first possible allocation of approximately 2 , € 5 million, to be allocated to support agricultural development and healthcare. Openings that have raised objection interanzionali teachers, activists of diaspora and former Eritrean diplomats, who have launched an appeal because the aid is linked to counterparts from Asmara in terms of respect for human rights.
Eritrea-EU agreement by cooperation
As reported last Friday on Twitter by the advisor to the Eritrean President Isaias Afeweki, Yemane Gebreab, "Eritrea and the EU are going to sign the agreement of cooperation under the 11th European Development Fund, mostly focused on enhancing the energy infrastructure of the country " . It 'was the same EU commissioner, Neven Mimica, to report in late March of next definition of an aid package from € 312 million, almost three times as much aid allocated in 2007 (EUR 122 million), with l' hope to stem the exodus of Eritreans supporting the development of the country.
>From Italy can help 2.5 million euro
for its part Italy, during the mission of a delegation of the Foreign Ministry in Asmara at the end of March, has proposed a possible aid to 2.5 million euro, also "if at the moment there is nothing formal, precise " , and must "see" how it will develop the process of normalization of bilateral relations started last summer, with the visit in the Eritrean capital of the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Lapo Pistelli. "The question is to see if there is the possibility to start normal relations with Eritrea progressively, against the huge rock of human rights that is continually raised in our meetings " , sources said the foreign ministry to askanews.
Eritrea seems ready to collaborate
However, in recent months have been recorded signals that "the country is moving" : first with the participation, not granted, the launch of the process of Khartoum, last November in Rome, along with the 28 EU member states and the countries of origin and transit along the migration route of the so-called Horn of Africa, where they "recognized that there is a problem of emigration, whereas before they spoke of defectors' . So, in the same occasion, Asmara assured of wanting to end the practice of military service indefinitely, indicated by the UN as one of the main causes of the flight of thousands of Eritreans to Europe, and he reintroduced the norm which provides for 18 months lever; Then, in January, the Eritrean authorities have released six journalists held since 2009, and Asmara again participate in the meeting to be held in late April in Egypt of the Steering Committee of the Process of Khartoum, where there will be further "the level of involvement of Asmara » . In Egypt the first projects will be evaluated and the first concrete guidelines of the process of Khartoum which, in this first phase, aims to counter in particular the fight against human trafficking.
But human rights, Asmara has still much to do
part Eritrean Italy is urged to intensify relations, in particular to "go on the concrete" , because Italy is considered the country that you should bring forward in the Horn ' Africa, according to reports from Eritrean sources, convinced that other countries would follow the example of Rome. But the recent openings in Asmara by the European Union have raised the protest of international professors, activists and former Eritrean diplomats who, in late March, have denounced the lack of 'evidence that Eritrea has implemented reforms in his regime for human rights, including in relation to military service " . Faced with a situation unchanged in Asmara and the recent positions taken by European governments, such as the Danish and British, to revise the rules for the granting of political asylum to Eritrean nationals, the signatories of the appeal have asked all governments EU to respect the principle of non-refoulement and to proceed with asylum applications, while the European Commission has been asked to "suspend the definition of an aid package to the Eritrean government until it will be guaranteed full and unfettered access to the country to UN commission of inquiry on Eritrea " , so why can investigate allegations of human rights violations.
(Software translation)
Received on Mon Apr 13 2015 - 11:03:02 EDT