Eritrea: “A threat of a Good Example”

Eritrea@35 Series

By Dahlakib

In a world where foreign aid often dictates the policies and priorities of nations, Eritrea has taken a different path, one that challenges the prevailing global development model. From the earliest days of its independence, Eritrea chose self-reliance over aid dependency, building its national strategy on sovereignty, domestic capacity, and long-term sustainability.

For many Eritreans, this approach is a matter of dignity and independence. But for others, it has been seen as something far more troubling.

According to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton once described Eritrea as a “bad example of good governance.” At first glance, the phrase sounds paradoxical. But the meaning becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of international power dynamics.

Eritrea’s “bad example” lies in the fact that it refuses to conform to a system that has long shaped relations between wealthy donor nations and developing countries. In Eritrea’s case, the government has repeatedly declared that development must come from within. As one statement from the Eritrean Ministry of Information bluntly put it: “We don’t want aid. Please keep it for your local poor.”¹

This position was articulated early on by Isaias Afwerki, Eritrea’s president, in a 1997 article on foreign aid. In that piece, he warned that aid often comes with political conditions and priorities that can undermine national sovereignty. For Eritrea, he argued, genuine development must be built on the country’s own resources, labor, and institutions.²

That philosophy has shaped Eritrea’s policies ever since.

Instead of structuring its development around foreign aid programs, Eritrea has focused on internal capacity-building. National institutions like the Mapping and Information Center support development projects using domestic resources. Agricultural initiatives and conferences aimed at improving crop productivity emphasize research, local expertise, and farmer participation.³^,⁴

The country has also invested heavily in human capital, promoting training and education programs designed to modernize sectors such as agriculture and infrastructure.⁵ These initiatives reflect a consistent belief: that lasting progress must come from national effort rather than external dependency.

For critics of the global aid system, Eritrea’s approach raises uncomfortable questions. Decades of aid flows into Africa have not always produced the promised development outcomes. Some scholars argue that heavy reliance on foreign assistance can create dependency, distort national priorities, and weaken domestic institutions.⁶

In that context, Eritrea’s policy appears less like isolation and more like an experiment in alternative development strategy.

Even international media outlets have recognized this distinctive approach. A report in the Los Angeles Times noted that Eritrea openly aspires to build a self-reliant economy while rejecting conventional aid frameworks.⁷

This is precisely why Eritrea is often viewed as a “bad example.” Not because self-reliance fails but because it demonstrates that another path might exist.

If more countries were to adopt similar policies prioritizing sovereignty, domestic production, and internal capacity the traditional aid architecture that has shaped much of Africa’s political economy could face profound challenges.

For Eritrea, however, the choice has always been clear. The country’s leaders and many of its citizens view independence not only as a political achievement but also as an economic principle.

In that sense, Eritrea’s real message is simple: true sovereignty requires the courage to rely on oneself.

And that may be the most disruptive example of all.

@dahlakib

References

1. ⁠Eritrea Ministry of Information – “We don’t want aid. Please keep it for your local poor!” https://share.google/RUNFQyMX3vxkcaV2y⁠
2. ⁠Isaias Afwerki, Foreign Aid, 1997. https://share.google/QddRU9RLTG6XF69bJ⁠
3. Eritrea Ministry of Information – Mapping and Information Center works on Development Projects https://share.google/hfzquT0JBEwUTns9t⁠
4. ⁠Eritrea Ministry of Information – National Potato Conference https://share.google/at6JzH5rqUIwOCsc5⁠
5. Eritrea Ministry of Information – Human Resource Development to Modernize the Agricultural Sector https://share.google/H4cqp4wTXbacXnRao⁠
6. Journal of African Studies and Development – Foreign Aid Effectiveness and Development Strategies in Eritrea https://share.google/Fn08pvfvnfivckbXI⁠
7. ⁠Los Angeles Times – Eritrea aspires to be self-reliant, rejecting foreign aid https://share.google/ycFweWOqIVtAra8ly⁠