Modes and potential of diaspora engagement in Eritrea

2010

The involvement of Eritrean diaspora communities in conflict and post-conflict reconstruction in Eritrea dates back to the times of the struggle for independence. The transnational ties between the former liberation fronts and the Eritrean state have been very close ever since. This paper describes the modes and potential of diaspora engagement in Eritrea, focussing especially on recent developments in Eritrean diaspora communities worldwide since 2000. It seeks to describe the specific political, social and economic conditions in Eritrea that provide a framework for the engagement of exiled communities as well as Eritrean policies, which target specifically Eritrean communities abroad. It …