Eritrea said on Wednesday that its economy will be unaffected by the U.N. sanctions imposed on the nation, which were an international response to Asmara’s alleged support of Islamist rebel groups in Somalia.

Punitive measures including an arms embargo, travel restrictions and asset freezes for some of the country’s top officials raised fears the limitations may slow an economy reliant on financial and moral support from the diaspora.

Remittances from Europe, the United States, the Middle East and other African nations are Eritrea’s biggest source of foreign exchange. Analysts say they continue to flow because high-ranking Eritreans travel to other countries and drum up support for the Red Sea state.

Eritrea has dismissed concerns saying sanctions would not slow development.

“The sanctions should not have any impact on investment, no impact on trade, or Eritrea’s external ties with its economic partners,” Yemane Ghebremeskel, director of the Eritrean president’s office, told Reuters in an interview.

“Our development strategy is not really based on injections of development assistance anyway. There are still extensive development plans in place designed to enhance productivity and expand services in education and health,” he said.

The country would build more than 50 new schools this year, he said.

The U.N. imposed sanctions last month because Security Council members say Eritrea has given support to Islamist insurgents in Somalia who are battling the U.N.-backed transitional government. Violence in the Horn of Africa nation has killed at least 19,000 people since the start of 2007.

‘IT’S WEDDING SEASON’

Yemane said average Eritreans were disappointed in the United Nations over the sanctions but they remained fairly indifferent to the measures themselves.

“They know these sanctions have nothing to do with justice or international law. People don’t give it undue weight — it’s January, wedding season, people are getting on with their business and going to parties,” he said.

Yemane reiterated the view of President Isaias Afwerki that the sanctions are baseless and contravene international law.

“Those sanctions are not based on international law. The accusations have not been proved and Eritrea has not been given the opportunity to make its case on an independent platform.”

Last week the President told local media that no solid facts have been produced against Eritrea and no proper legal procedures have been applied to discover the truth.

“In the final analysis, the conspiracy was essentially masterminded by U.S. intelligence agencies, especially the CIA,” the President said.

Eritrea’s economy contracted sharply in 2008 while inflation surged to double digits, according to the International Monetary Fund, but better rains in 2009 could have boosted growth to about 3.5 percent. Source: (Reuters)

CHALICE GOLD MINES LIMITED (CHN) provides the opportunity to listen to an audio broadcast with Tim Goyder, Executive Chairman in a presentation titled “Chalice Targets Highly Profitable Gold Mine ? Tim Goyder, Executive Chairman”.

During the interview Mr Goyder explains the result of the independent Scoping Study conducted at the Koka Gold Deposit within the Zara Project in northern Eritrea and provides information about costs, potential earnings and the outlook for Chalic Gold in Eritrea.

The Scoping Study revealed that the project has the potential to become a highly profitable gold mining operation.

The mine life of the Koka Gold Deposit is said to be for a period of six years however Chalice Gold is already working to expand the mine life by conducting further analysis on the project in Eritrea.

The Executive Chairman is pointing out that Eritrea has been under-explored in terms of its mining potential after its independence from Ethiopia and that the Koka Gold Deposit has been discovered in 1998. Gold, zinc and copper are the main interests for the company.

Chalice’s Zara project is one of the largest operating in the country and is believed to hold 1 million ounces of gold. The company does not expect to start production before 2011. To listen to the interview select play below or visithttp://www.brr.com.au/event/62384.

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Sub-Sahara Resources Limited announced that a Scheme Booklet for the planned merger with Chalice Gold Mines has been filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

A Scheme Booklet contains detailed information how the proposed merger of both companies is going to be arranged. The consent of Australian regulators for transaction of this nature requires the approval of the Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Further, Sub-Sahara has been granted a loan facility of $450.000 from Chalice Gold Mines Limited in order to fund continued development at the Zara Project (Koka Deposit) in Northern Eritrea.

The $450.000 loan is given interest free until 01.09.2009; thereafter the ANZ rate for loans over $100.000 plus 3% will apply.

Chalice Gold Mines has proposed to Sub-Sahara share holders 1 Chalice Share for every 10.73 Sub-Sahara Share.

The merger is set out to combine the strong cash deposit of Chalice with Sub-Sahara’s 69% ownership of the Zara Gold Project in Eritrea.

Further, Chalice is planning to increase the ownership stake on the Zara Project to 80% once the merger has been completed. The time table for the merger is delayed by three weeks at this stage, because the initial plan to file the Scheme Booklet with the ASIC was the 11.05.2009.

This might postpone the finalization of the merger slightly, which will be also subject to third party and Sub-Sahara shareholders approval, towards mid - August - 2009.