A global discussion forum was held on 18 December 2012 in celebration of the New Year.
H. E. Tesfamichael Gerahtu, Eritrea’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland participated in the worldwide ESMART (Eritrean Sanctions Must be Annulled and Repealed Today) forum.
Professor Ghidewon Asmerom and Sophia Tesfamariam, two prominent members of the Eritrean Diaspora joined him in this historic program, which was broadcast live via Youtube Live Stream on dehai.org eastafro.com raimoq.com, eritreacompass.com, alenalki.com, eriswiss.com, eritrea-chat.com,meadna.com, Radio Mekete Germany, Voice of Eritrea Stuttgart, Voice of Eritrea Washington DC, Radio Eritreawain Gothenbourg and Pal Talk, and transmitted through a global network of Eritrean social media sites in Europe, Middle-East, Australia, Africa and the United States.
Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu in his presentation, lauded achievements of the last 21 years and the role of the Diaspora in defending Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and right to development. He discussed in great detail Eritrea’s development strategy based on self reliance and the promotion of social justice.
Outlining Eritrea’s food security strategy and strides made in meeting 6 of the 8 the Millennium Development Goals, the development of Eritrea’s human and economic infrastructures.
Ambassador Gerhatu called on all citizens to reinforce Eritrea’s economic, social and political development through participation. The role of citizen investors is crucial in ensuring sustainable economy, and called on nationals in general, and youths in particular, to take advantage of the new opportunities in Eritrea’s enhanced investment climate.
The fact that the program took place at a time when the 2nd Investment Conference is taking place in Asmara, the Eritrean capital added to its timeliness.
Professor Ghidewon Abay Asmerom talked about the global resistance against the illegal, ill-gotten and unfair sanctions imposed against the State of Eritreaand its people. The ESMART campaign and its effectiveness in the production and dissemination of information to dispute and challenge the unsubstantiated allegations levelled against Eritrea through the UN Monitoring Group.
He discussed the role of Ethiopia in the fabrication and manufacture of facts and the US’ role through Susan Rice in the engineering of the sanctions resolution. The Wikileak documents clearly show that the US and Ethiopia used IGAD and African Union to give the US-Ethiopia initiative, an “African Face”.
Sophia Tesfamariam discussed the role of the international media in the distortion of Eritrea’s image through orchestrated vilification and defamation campaigns. The western media has preferred to toe the official line and how US Ambassadors in the Horn of Africa, especially those that served in Eritrea became stringers for the agenda setting corporate media.
The role of the corporate media has been exposed in the last 12 years and despite their contentions, the independent press thrives in Eritrea as evidenced by the growing media outlets in the Diaspora. Eritrea’s nascent independent press was hijacked by western institutions which sought to use them to advance their own agendas.
Today, with hundreds of journalism students in Eritrea, the ground has been established for the development of vibrant media institutions that will reflect Eritrea’s rich media history and traditions of writing and discussion.
All the presentations were truly impressive and a lively global discussion was followed with many questions and comments being presented.
The development of structures to coordinate the work of the different Diaspora organizations in different countries is encouraging and this process will ensure a globally coordinated noticeable Eritrean presence in the future, and the mushrooming independent Diaspora media will serve as the conduit.
Embassy Media [EMWG]
London UK – 18th December 2012
Video link number 1
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