Epsocial.es: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 2016 – 23 August
- Europa Press published an article about the United Nations’ Remembrance Day to celebrate the abolition of slavery shaping the world’s economics across the eighteenth century.
- EP makes an assessment of global slavery in the ten most affected countries worldwide, and notes that Eritrea comes just after North Korea as the second country with most modern slavery, with an estimated 93 in every 1,000 people victims of forced labour, forced marriage, trafficking and prostitution (Source: Global Slavery Index 2018)
Bloomberg.com: Eritrea considers plans to construct a new port on the Red Sea – 23 August
- Bloomberg reported that mines ministry officials have announced that Eritrea is considering building a new port on its Red Sea coastline to export potash from deposits being developed there.
- The opening of the Red Sea to its neighbours was highlighted as a priority of the deal agreement in July. The government emphasises that it is a potential destination for investors. It could be used to ship potash from Ethiopia and adds to a series of port developments in the strategically located region by nations including Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
- Alem Kibreab, director-general of mines in the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said in an interview that the port would be situated “at the Bay of Anfile, 75 kilometers (47 miles) east of the 1.2 billion-metric-ton Colluli potash deposit.”
- Danakali’s Chairman Seamus Cornelius said that “with the rapid changes and the rapid improvement in the geopolitical situation, things we weren’t thinking were possible in the past are now possible.”
Twitter: Addis Standard – Eritrean singer Kahsay Berhe joins the Ethiopian Ashenda Festival — 23 August
- Ethiopian newspaper the Addis Standard tweeted a link to a video of the Ashenda Festival from BBC News Tigrinya Facebook, noting that Eritrean artists were performing.
- ‘As various programs to enhance Ethio-Eritrea people-to-people diplomacy continued, here are two Eritrean famous artists: Kahsay Berhe & Solomon Bayre /Wedi Bayre/ performing in #Mekelle at the ongoing #Ashenda festival.’
- The Ashenda festival is an Ethiopian celebration that has seen a fair number of Eritrean participants this year, including an Eritrean singer who opened the festivities.
Bloomberg.com – Chinese Miner to Start Copper Output in Eritrea by Next Year – 24 August
- Bloomberg reported the announcement by the mines ministry that ‘a unit of Sichuan Road & Bridge Co. will start producing copper, zinc, gold and silver at a mine in Eritrea by early next year (2019) to help diversify the country’s agrarian economy.’
- Alem Kibreab, director-general of mines in the Energy and Mines Ministry, said he expected the construction could start in early 2019. ‘Operations will be in phases: the first phase will be direct shipments of high-grade copper ore.’
- Labour and Human Welfare Minister Luul Gebreab indicated that the government is studying other ways to diversify the economy, with ‘potential areas of intervention’ including natural resources, agro-industry, fisheries and infrastructure development.
- Eritrea already has two producing mines – Bisha, which produces gold, copper and zinc and is 60 percent owned by Nevsun Resources Ltd., and the Zara gold mine is 60 percent owned by Shanghai Sfeco Group of China. Construction of another mine, the Colluli potash mine jointly owned by Australia’s Danakali Ltd. and the government, is expected to start later this year.
- Mines and quarrying employ 15,330 in Eritrea, about 1.1 percent of its labour force, according to government data.
ABC News: Refugee women from Eritrea, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan introduce traditional cooking to an Italian restaurant. – 24 August
- Australia’s ABC News ran a feature on a community project to bring together and support refugee women living in Coffs Harbour.
- The Living Cultures Project was set up by Arianne Reis from the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and Sanctuary Coffs Harbour after a 2017 study found refugee women in Coffs Harbour were experiencing high levels of social isolation.
- Offering a precious opportunity for refugee women to broaden their social interaction and improve their skills in English, the project is providing great help to displaced communities fleeing to Australia.
- Dr Reis said she could already ‘see the food changing in the region as an Eritrean market stall and an Ethiopian restaurant have opened in Coffs Harbour.’
- Skye Hawkins is the project manager of the Living Cultures Project and part-owner of Fiasco, the restaurant the women cook in. She said ‘I see this as a celebration of culture, these women have a lot to offer to our community’.
