<
http://inewp.com/?p=11290> Eritrea: Africa's Economic Success Story
Posted on06 March 2012.
Despite the Eritrean government's indifference to the political wellbeing of
its people - in terms of democracy, the philosophy regarding the economic
liberation of Eritrea is noteworthy.
The government's perceived grasp on the "existing realities" and its goal
to become "equal partners with everybody" led Eritrea to having the fastest
growing economy in 2011, this according to 'The World in 2011' report
published by The Economist.1
In 2011 Eritrea's economic growth rate was 17%, larger than that of Qatar
and Ghana.2
Not wanting to promote dependency, most notably on foreign aid and donor
funding, Eritrea has managed to place itself in a position where local
resources are used to their full potential, thus increasing the country's
rate of development.
Governing Eritrea with an almost military style precision has assisted the
country meeting many of their Millennium Development Goals (MDG's).
While Eritrea has not shown progress in all the targets, the majority of
these goals show that there has been no deterioration either.3
Successes include increasing access to primary education, reducing the
child mortality rate, improving maternal health, reducing the HIV & Aids
infection rate as well as reducing the spread of other infectious diseases
and ensuring environmental sustainability. Access to safe drinking water
and adequate sanitation has also increased and the country's agricultural
sector is booming.4
Since 2010, Eritrea has become one of only a handful of African countries
that do not require food aid. Most importantly, however, is the fact that
the majority of Eritrea's population (80%), is employed in the agricultural
sector.
Due to the Government's efforts in creating dozens of micro dams,
introducing modern farming techniques and purchasing equipment worth
millions of dollars, the majority of the population is now able to have
three farming seasons in one year, which as a consequence, has halved the
price of food by 50%.5
On a continent that is plagued by issues of dependency - made worse by
complete reliance on foreign investors, financial and humanitarian aid as
well as non-profit organizations, Eritrea, has been accused that its
absolute determination to emancipate itself from such perceived continental
doldrums is at the expense of liberal democracy.
The question that remains is, which should come first?
Liberal democracy or economic emancipation?
If the government continues to increase standards of living, it will
continue to generate legitimacy despite the absence of liberal democracy.
1) Should the Eritrean government continue to keep in good order the
political institutions needed to develop the country; will liberal democracy
and the life that it represents become less important on the agenda of
Eritreans?
2) Are Eritreans willing to sacrifice political freedom in exchange for
their economic well being?
NOTES
(1) 'Eritrea Achieved Tremendous Success in Health, Education and Food
Security-All without Donor Aid', New African Magazine, November 2011,
<
http://www.tesfanews.net/archives/4764>
http://www.tesfanews.net.
(2) 'Eritrea has the fastest growing economy for 2011-Economist', Madote
News, December 2011,
<
http://www.madote.com/2010/11/eritrea-has-3rd-fastest-growing-economy.html>
http://www.madote.com.
(3) United Nations Development Programme website,
<
http://www.er.undp.org/mdgs/>
http://www.er.undp.org.
(4) Ibid.
(5) 'Eritrea Becomes Food Secure', Madote News, 29 May 2011,
<
http://www.madote.com/2011/05/eritrea-wins-war-on-food-security.html>
http://www.madote.com
<
http://inewp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1.jpg> Eritrea: Africa's
Economic Success Story
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Received on Tue Mar 06 2012 - 13:05:27 EST
