Eritea

Following the war with Ethiopia that ended in 2000 and left large quantities of ammunition in the country, the security situation in Eritrea has remained unstable.[1] The ongoing armed conflicts in Tigray (south of its border with Ethiopia) and Sudan fuel this instability at the borders.[2] Human rights violations continue to take place in the country according to 2022 reports.[3] Due to this instability, Eritrea has been a transit point for weapons and ammunition trafficking in the region.[4] Eritrea is also one of the world’s most heavily-mined countries and risks linked to unexploded ordnance remain high.[5]

The African Union, ECOWAS, RECSA, SARCOM, and BICC are on the ground to help with the through-life management of ammunition in collaboration with the Eritrean Ministry of Defence. Efforts have included the establishment of a database to create visibility on ongoing and completed interventions in the field of small arms and light weapons (SALW) control, Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) trainings, and capacity development and advice on SALW control.[6]

[1] “BTI 2022 Eritrea Country Report.” BTI 2022. Accessed July 26, 2022. https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/ERI.

[2] “Ethiopia Conflict: Thousands of Eritrean Refugees Flee New Deadly Attack on Camp | | UN News.” United Nations, February 18, 2022. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1112232. “Sudan's Military Strikes Disputed Region Bordering Ethiopia.” Al Jazeera, June 29, 2022. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/29/sudans-military-strikes-disputed-region-bordering-ethiopia.

[3] “World Report 2022: Eritrea Events of 2021.” Human Rights Watch. Accessed July 26, 2022. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/eritrea.

[4] “Eritrea.” The Organized Crime Index | ENACT. Accessed July 26, 2022. https://africa.ocindex.net/country/eritrea.

[5] “Eritrea.” Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor. Accessed July 26, 2022. http://www.the-monitor.org/en-gb/reports/2020/eritrea/impact.aspx.

[6] See A-MAP Database.