Eritrea VIDEO: (PART I) President Isaias Afwerki’s interview with ERI-TV January 1, 2010
Eritrea VIDEO: (PART II) President Isaias Afwerki’s interview with ERI-TV January 2, 2010
Eritrea VIDEO: (PART III) President Isaias Afwerki’s interview with ERI-TV January 3, 2010
Eritrea VIDEO: (PART IV | Final) President Isaias Afwerki’s interview with ERI-TV January 4, 2010
Asmara, 1 January 2010 – In the first part of an interview he gave tonight in connection with the New Year, President Isaias Afwerki said that the outcome of endeavors towards achieving food security was witnessed in 2009.
Stressing the need for redouble efforts for still greater achievement in the New Year, the President indicated that the recurrent drought in the Horn of Africa is not only the result of natural cause but also due to the failure of seeking a lasting solution to the problem on the part of individuals or governments. As far as Eritrea is concerned, concerted action has been and continues to be taken to tackle the problem, he elaborated.
President Isaias further explained that on top of the endeavors made to achieve food security through developing the agriculture sector, major programs are equally in the process of implementation towards harnessing marine resources. In this respect, the President asserted that there would exist no food shortage in 2010.
Regarding social services, especially education and health, he indicated that big budget has been allocated for in both sectors, and that the necessary educational facilities would be put in place in various colleges, secondary and primary educational institutions. Moreover, close attention would be given to the task of nurturing educated nationals both in numbers and quality, besides creating conducive ground for teachers and ensuring respect for their profession, the President added.
President Isaias went on to say that teachers and health professionals serving in remote areas with dedication deserve the requisite support in a manner that alleviates their cost of living, besides extending assistance to their family members left behind.
Noting the commendable progress made in the expansion of health services in all parts of the country, he nonetheless underlined the need for mounting still more efforts towards further expanding and rendering quality health services. To this end, vigorous endeavors are underway to ensure adequate supply of drugs and raise the number of health professionals, the President stated.
President Isaias also highlighted the need to strive for putting in place housing facilities along with potable water supply, electricity, roads and educational opportunities. He further explained that plans have been mapped out to construct residential houses in various areas in 2010/2011 that take into consideration needy nationals. In this connection, the President said that priority would be given to those citizens who have been serving the nation with devotion for many years.
President Isaias indicated that members of the National Service Program who have been fulfilling their duties over the past 10 years would receive due reward.
Asmara, 2 January 2010 – In continuation of the interview he conducted with national media outlets tonight on the occasion of the New Year, President Isaias Afwerki underlined that the shameful and misguided illegal sanctions resolution against Eritrea is a manifestation of failed adventurous policies designed to victimize the nation.
The President explained that although the TPLF regime may perhaps has something to do with the sanctions, the whole affair is not basically the handwork of the regime. Stating that the TPLF clique, as a servant entity, may have contributed something to that in order to promote its narrow interests, he pointed out that the sanctions resolution has undoubtedly been masterminded by the CIA. This is mainly aimed at creating a crisis situation in Africa and expose its people to animosity among one another, and thus plunder the resources of the continent, besides imposing one’s narrow interests, President Isaias added.
Despite the fact that the United States is the main culprit behind the shameful and unjust resolution emanating from a disturbed mind, Uganda was, nonetheless, chosen as a sponsoring party so as to give the false impression that Africa has a hand in it, the President elaborated.
He went on to say that the policy of hegemony in the Horn of Africa unfolded by end of the Cold War at the time Eritrea achieved independence, Somalia was engulfed in turmoil, Sudan entered into a new political stage and Ethiopia in particular experienced new situation. In this respect, President Isaias underscored that US intelligence agencies were the main instigator of the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict.
Citing that the baseless sanctions resolution against Eritrea was adopted under the pretext that it extends financial and arms support to ‘extremists’ and non-recognition of the externally imposed transitional government in Somalia, the President explained that such allegations have no substance at all. In this connection, he elucidated that Eritrea does not interfere in the internal affairs of Somalia and that it advocates the existence of a united and sovereign Somali nation. Still, Eritrea has the right to extend political and moral support to the Somali people, the President emphasized.
As regards the Eritrean-Djiboutian issue, President Isaias pointed out that it is a fabricated ploy designed to undermine peace in the region through concocting a non-existing conflict. In this regard, he noted that although the issue could have been resolved on the basis of mutual understanding and even arbitration, the authors as usual sought to exaggerate matters so as to blackmail Eritrea.
The President explained in detail the numerous acts of conspiracy weaved on the part of enemy quarters over the past 11 to 12 years with a view to impeding economic, development and investment programs, as well as achieving food security, putting in place infrastructure facilities and foreign investment.
Moreover, he outlined the various ploys employed through deploying mercenary agents to block the flow of foreign currency into the country in a bid to undermine national security and isolating the country through forming alliances with a number of countries, among others. In this connection, President Isaias commended the Eritrean people’s unmatched steadfastness in rebuffing such obstacles.
Indicating that the attempts made by the CIA to isolate Eritrean nationals from their people and leadership through various ploys in a bid to serve as an opposition force have ended in utter failure, the President underscored the fact that Eritrean nationals, including those who crossed the border illegally continued to uphold unwavering attachment to the Homeland has ever more frustrated and anguished such enemy quarters.
Noting that the Eritrean people have been challenging and putting forth views prior to the adoption of the sanctions resolutions without waiting for directives, President Isaias pointed out that the sanctions move is in its early stage, and that the Eritrean people inside the country and abroad remain resolute as ever to meet challenges.
Stating that all peoples manage to build nationhood only through consummating the political and socio-economic process, the President pointed out that on the contrary the regime marginalized the majority of the Ethiopian people including that of Tigray through disregarding this fundamental truth, thus repeating the blunders committed by previous regimes.
Indicating that the TPLF regime committed three big strategic errors, he stated that the regime's monopoly of power as a ruling clique rather than giving due credit to the collective struggle waged by all sections of the Ethiopian population represents the primary error. Moreover, it opted to collaborate with external forces as a servant entity in a bid to ensure power hegemony and subjugate nationals, as well as victimizing Eritrea on the pretext of a border problem as a means of covering up domestic problems.
President Isaias further elucidated that although the clique sought to buy time through conducting bogus elections, momentarily suppressing popular opposition and controlling the economy, the regime is basically a rotten entity in which a few corrupt individuals and groups may give the wrong impression of possessing power and the hope of continuity. The visible corruption on the part of the TPLF has assumed a scope beyond redemption, he added.
President Isaias went on to emphasize that despite the ups and downs in the momentum of popular opposition against the minority regime, it does not mean that the mounting opposition has subsided; as a matter of fact, it is constantly on the rise.
Pointing out that the TPLF regime chose to discard the strengthening of relations with Eritrea that would have made tremendous contribution so as to serve the interests of external parties, the President the latest sanctions resolution against Eritrea is part and parcel of the futile attempts made by the regime to weaken Eritrea, as a servant of US interests. The border issue does not require an arbitrator, reconciliation or dialogue but the unconditional withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from occupied sovereign Eritrean territories, he underlined.
Replying to a question on claims that Ethiopia may as well face the danger of disintegration that befell Somalia, President Isaias explained that such an assessment does not at all hold water; it is a claim devoid of common sense. As far as Eritrea is concerned, the leadership never entertained such a view, for the simple reason that the disintegration of neighboring states does not benefit us. For that reason, we oppose those who advocate the disintegration of Somalia. By same logic, Eritrea can never wish for Ethiopia's engulfment in war and turmoil, he underlined. The President went on to stress that the people and Government of Eritrea would not be pushed into entertaining such erroneous thinking no matter the intensity of hostilities directed against the nation.
As regards the problems encountered in Eritrean-Djiboutian relations, President Isaias pointed out that the issue is not the handiwork of the Government of Djibouti; it could have even been resolved from the very beginning. The issue that subsequently ensued and led to clashes was deliberately blown out of proportion simply because the entire affair is being orchestrated by others, he emphasized. In this respect, the President elucidated that the Government of Eritrea has been handling with patience. At present, the Djiboutian government has become the tool for destabilizing regional peace in order to secure handouts from Washington, he added.
On the Sudanese issue, President Isaias said that a comprehensive solution to the country's problem could only be achieved on the basis of the participation of all Sudanese political forces, especially that of resolving the issue of South Sudan. In this connection, he pointed out that Eritrea has been exerting vigorous efforts to promote peace and stability in the Sudan.
Stating that the absence of peace and stability in Yemen is a liability to the entire region, the President noted that in view of the fact that Eritrean-Yemeni ties is both historical and special, the Eritrean government had extended moral and political support to the sisterly country at the time it faced problems.
The President went on to stress that had the countries in the region been left alone to manage their own affairs without the interference of special interest groups, they could have resolved their problems without delay.
Asmara, 4 January 2010 – Citing the situation in the Middle East as an example, President Isaias Afwerki underlined that problems that repeatedly unfold in the world should be resolved meticulously and patiently. The President made the salient remarks tonight during the 4th and last part of the interview he conducted with the national media outlets in connection with the New Year. He noted that although the issues of peace and security are highlighted in the mass media at present, the dialogue and discussion methods applied towards resolving economic, social, political, security and other problems in the contemporary world are nonetheless time-consuming and out of point, for they do not constitute a peace process that serves common interest.
In a reply he gave to a question as to how the United States would look like in the first term of the Obama Administration, President Isaias pointed out that the issue should not be viewed within the framework of Mr. Obama individually, as the special interest groups within the US Administration would not sit with folded arms to enable him implement the pledges he made. It is so because such forces would give blessing to the one who may tamper with their age-old interests, political culture and aspirations, he elucidated.
Noting that the system in that country remained intact for the past two decades until the time Obama assumed office, especially after World War II or the end of the Cold War, the President explained that the hopes and aspirations of the American people and that of the world could not conform with the pledges made despite the fact that they eagerly sought deliverance from the problems accumulated for a long period of time.
He further emphasized that the United Nations is an outdated entity whose structure and organizational setup do not correspond with the 21st century. And most of the problems the world is currently witnessing basically emanate from this very fact, the President underscored. In this respect, President Isaias stressed the need for the world body to have the necessary laws and regulations, as well as a better structure that would enable it meet the prevailing challenges in the globe, and thereby adopt just resolutions and the fostering of the desired relations among nations. In this regard, he indicated that the proposals put forth by the Eritrean government at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly highlighted the urgency of rectifying the current erroneous modus operandi of the organization.
Also in a message he conveyed to the Eritrean people inside the country and abroad on the occasion of the New Year, the President said that in view of the fact that Eritrean nationals possess common desire and aspiration, they managed to emerge victorious through overcoming all challenges encountered. He also called on compatriots to work in unison and spirit of dedication in the year 2010 so that we may achieve our lofty goals.
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