Eritrea is a country rich in culture, diversity and has multi ethnic heritages, which not many people know about. One of these heritages is the Greek Community of Eritrea.

In the 19th century after the Greek war of Independence many Greek merchants had set up homes and trade relations with countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea as well as with Alexandria in Egypt.

The merchants and their business ventures brought along many family members, Greek teaching schools and the Greek Orthodox church.

According to Costas, an Eritrean born in Asmara with Greek ancestors, the first Greeks arrived in Eritrea in the middle of the 19st century coming from Egypt and Sudan (www.mybaobab.com). Their first settlement was established in the Eritrean town of Keren by Vlassis Frangoulis and soon grew towards a community of 178 Greek settlers during the Italian census in 1894.

Asmara’s first Greek community was founded in 1900 and was at that time under the protectorate of the Greek Embassy in Addis Abeba. In their 100 years of history in Eritrea the Greeks reached their peak with around 400 people during the initial decades of the Italian intrusion of Eritrea.

In the course of the rule of the Italian fascists in Eritrea many Greeks were sent to a concentration camp in Quoran.

The strain caused to the Eritrean Greeks by the Italians ceased soon after the British took over the administration of Eritrea in 1941, because high ranking Greek Cypriot officers amongst the British Army came to their aid.

Latest estimates about the number of Greeks in Eritrea are from 2004 and show that around 30 Greeks live in the country today. Let us remember that the name Eritrea is derived from the Greek word Erythrea, which means red a colour known to symbolize blood, love and our heartbeat.

Happy National Day Eritrea

Being in the middle of an economical downturn is definitely not going to be a very easy situation for many people around the world. Nevertheless, it is a periodic occurrence, which is necessary to put things right in a world living too often beyond its means.

Eritrea has been on the track of self-reliance since the independence gained from Ethiopia in the beginning of the Nineties. In many fields, such as humanitarian aid, foreign investment exposure and transport infrastructre, it chose directions apart from the norm of other African countries.

Of course this is the harder way to go for a nation and often difficult to comprehend, because it requires sacrificing in first instance. Moreover, for many years Eritreans have lived far below their means for the sake of their nation and national identity. While others, which now have to come into terms with the bubble burst, used to know no limit.

Thus in times of recession individuals, corporates, national economies and the world tend to lay out their cards newly because it resembles a period of chance, thoughtfulness and self scrutiny.

This is also a chancel for Eritrea to enter into a new relationship in respect to international trade. Especially as a nation, which has a big tourism potential, is soon to enter into the mining industry and is opening its sea ports for free trade.

On the preparations for the upcoming Eritrean National Day on the 24th May 2009, the President of Eritrea has explained to Reuters News Agency, how the country is going to approach these challenges.

“The Norwegians would like to talk about 150 years from now. The Nigerians may want to exploit all their oil resources in 10 days or 10 hours or maybe 10 years, and that’s it, you’re finished. This is a resource of generations.” (President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea on Reuters News Agency)

The President believes that economical stimulation has to be sustainable in order to fit a nations characteristic of infrastructure. Therefore, he suggests that instead of a tempting short term approach, Eritrea should seek for a more adequate pace to manage the exposure to a free market and a influx of foreign investment. This would be the only way how to best serve Eritrea’s interests for todays and the coming generations ahead.