Basic

Often seen as an outlier, Eritrea offers some provocative but timely lessons in self-reliance and development with limited resources.

Based on the UN’s partnership in the country, here are five takeaways from Eritrea’s model that feel especially relevant right now:

1. Ownership of development agenda

Eritrea has been deliberate in ensuring that external assistance aligns with national priorities. Development partnerships, including with the UN, are guided by government-led strategies, rooted in a philosophy of self-reliance and evaluated through a lens of long-term sustainability. This has allowed the country to retain greater control over its development agenda rather than reacting to shifting donor priorities.

Eritrea's investments in solar power, dam construction, and soil conservation have significantly reduced reliance on imports and external aid.

It is important to note that self-reliance does not mean isolation. Eritrea maintains a diverse set of partners — including Italy, China, the UK, and Japan. The UN has a long-standing presence in the country and today supports efforts in solar energy, education, health, food security, climate resilience, and more. This partnership is articulated in and adheres to a cooperation framework that reflects Eritrea’s own development priorities, approaches, and leadership.

2. Boosting domestic resources

When Eritrea ended USAID operations in 2005 (Financial Times), many questioned whether the country could sustain progress without substantial foreign aid. Nearly two decades later, Eritrea has relied on domestic resource mobilisation, emphasising basic needs, social protection, and sustainability. Tax revenue, remittances, and public sector investments in agriculture, health, and renewable energy have been key drivers of its model.

3. Investing in citizens

Eritrea has prioritised basic service provision and social protection, making notable strides in education, healthcare, and food security. It was one of the few countries to meet its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) health targets.

One example of the innovative ways it targets the most difficult to reach communities is the Barefoot Doctors programme, an initiative which trains and deploys community health workers to deliver essential medical services in remote areas—dramatically improving healthcare access for hard to reach populations.  Additionally, Eritrea’s emphasis on women’s rights and equality—rooted in their historic role during the liberation struggle—is reflected in policies that expand educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.

Eritrea’s has taken major strides towards gender-equality, with women having recorded significant participation in the country's epic liberation struggle. Photo: Ministry of Information, Eritrea

Near-universal vaccination campaigns have curbed infectious diseases, while community-led efforts in water conservation and soil preservation have bolstered food security. These initiatives show how targeted investments in human capital can lead to lasting development outcomes.

4. Community-driven efforts

Eritrea’s relatively small population has been mobilised through a strong culture of civic responsibility and participation. For instance, the construction of small, local dams for water conservation and agriculture is led by communities themselves. This approach fosters ownership and long-term sustainability while keeping costs low and minimising waste.

Coupled with minimal corruption (The Guardian), this means every dollar invested by development partners has an outsized impact.

5. Think long-term, build resilience

Eritrea has prioritised sustainability and resilience. Investments in solar power, dam construction, and soil conservation have reduced reliance on imports and external aid. The UN has supported these efforts, particularly through climate adaptation programmess that help farmers adopt drought-resilient practices.

What’s next for Eritrea itself?

The global aid landscape is shifting, and many governments are struggling to adapt to shrinking donor funds. Eritrea’s experience suggests alternative approaches to development, reinforcing that progress is fundamentally a local process. While external support can catalyse change, sustainable development ultimately depends on the leadership of communities and national systems to define and lead their own pathways.

Eritrea’s model is not without its complexities. Its tight controls on political and economic life distinguish it from many other nations. The private sector is underdeveloped, limiting innovation, economic dynamism, and job creation—especially for the country’s growing youth population. Other factors, such as an enabling policy environment, could further unlock the country’s potential to fully mobilise foreign investment. As Eritrea looks ahead, nurturing a broader and more inclusive economic base will be essential to translating development gains into sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities for all.

Nevertheless, in a world where financial constraints are the new normal, Eritrea’s philosophy of self-reliance raises important questions about how governments can sustain progress with limited external resources. As the global community reassesses aid and development partnerships, Eritrea’s experience offers valuable insights worth considering.

The author, Nahla Valji is the United Nations Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Eritrea

 Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.

Five lessons from Eritrea's self-reliance in an era of global aid ...

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Financial Times: Eritreans Are Bloody-Minded

Eritrea was an anomaly in Africa in 2005 when it expelled USAID, shuttered other development agencies and imposed taxes on aid imports, on aid imports, intentionally hastening an end to most western donor support.

Explaining his rationale in an interview with Financial Times that predated the expulsion, Eritrea's long-term president Isaias Afwerki said: "If you need something and no one is giving it to you, you struggle even harder to do it on your own."

As USAID and the architecture of the global aid industry crumbles two decades later, the rest of the continent, which campaign group One said received more than a quarter of overseas development assistance in 2023, faces the prospect of a world with little or no aid.

Eritrea was uniquely unaffected as the only African country not to receives US aid last year.

The country is hardly an exemplar, trapped as it is in a state of permanent war mobilisation since winning independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and with few personal or political freedoms permitted under Isaias's continuing rule.

But, spurred by an almost bloody-minded sense of self-reliance, on some development indicators it has fared as well over the past two decades as the other countries that have benefited from billions in donor largesse.

According to UN data, life expectancy at 68 is the same as in Rwanda, which has been receiving in excess of $1bn in aid each year. More Eritreans proportionally have access to electricity, according to the World Bank, than people in Uganda, which in 2022 received $2.1bn compared with just $55mn, from UN agencies, for Eritrea.

"Eritrea's approach from the outset, was anchored on avoiding structural dependency," said Yemane Gebremeskel, the long-standing information minister. He said this made Eritrea immune to the vagaries and demands of donors. "More importantly, [aid] stifles local initiatives and capacity," he said