Mokie Wel

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Sorry for typo.. Debre Sina Monastery

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

#Condolences: Funeral Services for Abune Petros, member of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Tewahdo Church and Archbishop of the Central Region, held at Debre Sina Monaster, Keren, today.

The Funeral Service was preceded by a night-long Prayers Ceremony at Asmara's St. Mary Church. The event was presided by the Patriarch, His Reverend Abune Basilos, and attended by senior Archbishops as well as other religious leaders, GOE officials, and the faithful.

Abune Petros passed away on Friday, 20 February, due to illness at the age of 86.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

#Condolences - Funeral services for veteran freedom fighter and member of PFDJ Central Council, Btsai Musa Naib, was held at Asmara's Patriots Cemetery today in the presence of President Isaias Afwerki, senior Government & PFDJ officials, Religious leaders & his family.

Btsai Musa joined the EPLF in 1975 and served his nation and people, with distinction and utmost dedication, in various capacity, for 51 long years.

Btsai Musa rose through the ranks of the EPLF Security Department and was its Head towards the last years of liberation.

After independence, Btsai Musa continued his illustrious service to his country including as: Administrator of Massawa and Keren respectively; Prosecutor General; and, DG of the Department of General Education at the MoE. Btsai Musa had also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Constitution Commission.

Btsai Musa passed away yesterday, at the age of 77, after a long illness.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read - #Eritrea: Scaling Water Security; by Bana Negusse

*"...Eritrea established a comprehensive legal and policy framework to guide water management from the outset. Beginning in 1997 and revised in 2007, the Water Policy, Water Law, Water Sector Institutional Framework, and related Water Sector for Human Development documents, are grounded on the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management".

*"...The results over the past three decades have been striking. At independence in 1991, only 13 percent of the population had access to clean and safe water. Today, nationwide coverage exceeds 85 percent. Urban access has increased from 30 percent to over 92 percent, while rural coverage has expanded from just 7 percent to nearly 80 percent – a powerful reflection of the country’s commitment to leaving no one behind".

*"...At the heart of this progress lies a sustained expansion of water infrastructure. At independence, Eritrea had only 138 dams and ponds. Today, the number exceeds 800, significantly enhancing water storage capacity and distribution".

*"...Looking ahead, Eritrea remains firmly committed to strengthening efficiency and climate resilience in its water sector. Agriculture, the largest consumer of freshwater, is undergoing a gradual transition from traditional furrow irrigation to modern pressurized systems that reduce waste and improve productivity. Aging pipelines are being replaced to minimize losses and extend services to underserved areas. Equally important is environmental stewardship: investments in reforestation, watershed management, and ecosystem protection help safeguard the natural systems on which water availability depends".

https://t.co/PgBxmfHH1X

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read: Ethiopia’s Red Sea Narrative Resurfaces in Abiy Ahmed’s Latest Public Appearance;
by David Yeh (abridged)
https://t.co/512O7pb8z2

"... His assertion that the Red Sea is a 'good reason' to fight is not strategy; it is a warning sign. It signals fear disguised as resolve; weakness masquerading as strength; and political survival dressed up as national destiny".
https://t.co/lph0MNFwg6

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

On the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President Isaias Afwerki has departed, in the mid-morning hours today, to Saudi Arabia for a four-day working visit.

During their stay in the Kingdom, President Isaias and his delegation are scheduled to hold meetings with senior Saudi Government officials on enhancement of bilateral ties of cooperation and partnership as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

President Isaias Afwerki met, this morning at Ad Halo, a delegation led by Mr. Hu Changchun, the Special Envoy of China's Foreign Ministry to the Horn of Africa.

President Isaias underlined the imperative for China to foster ties of constructive engagement with Africa to bolster and strengthen capacity building in these crucial times of global change and that is not encumbered by sheer competitive perspectives. The President further referred to China's potential role in playing a positive role in the resolution of conflicts in the Horn of Africa region that are often fomented and exacerbated by intervention of major external powers.

President Isaias also affirmed that Eritrea will strive to consolidate the 70-year old warm and bilateral all-rounded ties with China.

Mr. Hu Changchun, for his part, conveyed President Xi Jinping's message of goodwill to President Isaias Afwerki and ascertained China's readiness to enhance its strategic partnership with Eritrea. The Special Envoy further elucidated that China will strengthen its partnership with Africa which is hinged on capacity building and self reliance.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read: Imperative of Paradigm Shift for Enduring Regional Peace and Stability; by Dr. Weldu Ghebreselassie

*"...Ethiopia’s historical disposition for regional destabilization is closely intertwined with its intermittent obsession with acquiring 'sovereign access to the Red Sea', often couched in the rhetoric of 'reunification'; its proclivity to serve as a pliable proxy for external patrons; and, its deeply flawed domestic governance anchored on perennial ethnic polarization and strife.

*"...In conclusion, the Potemkin Party lacks the moral or political standing to project its own destabilizing behavior onto Eritrea. Rather than externalizing its domestic failures and stoking regional tensions, the PP should confront the root causes of Ethiopia’s internal and regional crises. Reliance on external actors while sidelining proven local and regional mechanisms only deepens divisions and imperils regional peace. Indeed, durable peace in the Horn requires mobilizing internal resources, strengthening regional cooperation, and minimizing foreign interference. The African proverb: 'He who is carried on another person’s back does not know how far the journey is', underscores the visceral pitfalls of structural dependency on external patrons.

https://t.co/2Krg8btRvZ

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

International Day of Persons with disabilities commemorated today at Asmara Palace under the mantra: " Promoting equitable and all-rounded participation of persons with disabilities in all sectors of development".

Key Note address by Mr. Mihreteab Fissehaie, Director General at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. Mr. Mihreteab underlined that Eritrean Customary & Contemporary Laws have for centuries guaranteed the equity and dignity of persons with disabilities with punitive measures against any stigmatization and discrimination. These laws, which stem from and are embedded in society's cultural values and practices, pre-date their recognition and popularization through international platforms.

UNICEF Resident Representative, Mr. Abdullahi Mohamed, re-affirmed the UN's continued global commitment for enhancing equal opportunities in education and health for persons with disabilities to bolster their dignity as well as positive contributions to national development.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Congrats to All! Natan Tesfaalem cliches Gold Medal in the Men Junior 2025 #AfricanCyclingChampionships today

https://t.co/0HEVH9eT4c

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read: #Eritrea’s Sovereignty and the Myth of Ethiopia’s “Lost Coast”; by Abdu Osman

"...Overall, Eritrea’s coastline is not a matter of debate, it is the sovereign territory of a recognized state. Discussions about Ethiopia’s trade limitations, economic ambitions, or regional security must be grounded in diplomacy, respect for international law, and recognition of Eritrea’s independence. Eritrea’s liberation, referendum, and international recognition are enduring facts; its sovereignty over the Red Sea coast remains legally and morally unassailable (UNMEE, 1993; UNSC Resolution 795, 1992; UNGA Resolution 1514, 1960). Hence, it is time for the Ethiopian leadership to stop wasting time on gimmicks and futile efforts to locate a fictional document, as decolonization never requires any document to end colonial rule and occupation".

https://t.co/iwwZf7BouE via @Red Sea Beacon

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

On the invitation of General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council, President Isaias Afwerki arrived in Port Sudan in the early afternoon hours today for a working visit.

President Isaias Afwerki and his entourage were accorded warm welcome by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and senior Government Ministers on their arrival, by road travel, at the entrance of Port Sudan.

President Isaias Afwerki's visit is both symbolic and vivid gesture of the warm and robust solidarity that Eritrea harbours towards the people of Sudan and their Government in these times of adversity.

The residents of the Port city came out in their thousands to welcome President Isaias Afwerki, chanting in celebration of the historic relations between Eritrea and Sudan.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

President Isaias Afwerki met, at the Government Guest House in the late evening hours yesterday, Prime Minister Dr. Kamal Idris for extensive discussions on latest developments in the Sudan as well as status and progress of bilateral ties between the two countries.

President Isaias reiterated Eritrea's commitment in supporting Sudan in its efforts to overcome the prevailing heavy challenges. Prime Minister Dr. Kamal, for his part, expressed the Sudanese people's profound appreciation for Eritrea's historic and principled stance.

President Isaias Afwerki also met with the Governor of the Darfur Region, Mr. Minni Arko Minnawi and Dr. Al-Tijani Al-Sissi. The discussions focused on the overall situation in Sudan and possible pathways for resolving the current crisis.

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read - Ngdet: A Resilient Cultural Practice

*"...Ngdet traces its origins to pre-colonial Eritrean society, where communal gatherings were central to social organization, serving as opportunities for families and villages to reaffirm bonds, exchange stories, and celebrate shared heritage".

*...One of the most remarkable aspects of Ngdet is its interfaith character. Eritrea is home to both Christian and Muslim communities, and Ngdet often serves as a shared space where members of different faiths celebrate together. This interfaith participation reflects Eritrea’s broader tradition of religious harmony, where Muslims and Christians have coexisted peacefully for centuries. Ngdet gatherings embody this harmony by emphasizing common values of hospitality, respect, and solidarity. They remind participants that cultural identity transcends religious boundaries, fostering unity in diversity. In a region often marked by sectarian conflict, Ngdet stands as a testament to Eritrea’s unique model of coexistence".

*"...Ngdet is a living institution that embodies indigenous values. It teaches solidarity, respect, and harmony. It preserves cultural practices while fostering unity across religious and social divides. In a world where external pressures often erode cultural practices, Ngdet offers a powerful lesson that traditions rooted in community and values can withstand change. For Eritrean society, Ngdet is not just a gathering; it is a symbol of continuity, resilience, and identity, ensuring that indigenous values remain at the heart of Eritrean society".

https://t.co/0FREKuUdRH

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Excellent Read: #Eritrea Cements Its Legacy as Africa’s Cycling Powerhouse; by Simon Weldemikael

*"...Eritrea has once again asserted its dominance as Africa’s premier cycling nation, delivering a stunning performance at the African Cycling Championship in Kenya. The team secured a remarkable haul of 10 medals, reaffirming its long-standing reputation on the continental stage".

*"...Eritrea has dominated the African Continental Cycling Championships over the last decade and a half. Of the 13 continental races organized by the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) and held between 2011 and 2025, Eritrea won 10 events, with the remaining 3 championships won by South Africa".

*"...Apart from continental competitions, Eritrean cyclists have profoundly impacted global events, transforming races like the Tour de France into stages of African pride and achievement. The most notable recent success belongs to Biniam Girmay, who in 2024 became the first Black African rider to win a stage in the Tour de France. His performance was historic: Biniam successfully won three individual stages and secured the Green Jersey (points classification), marking Eritrea’s most significant achievement in global cycling. Bini described his victory as 'a win for all Africans', emphasizing the symbolic importance of Eritrea’s success on the world stage".

*"...This success was built upon the groundbreaking moment established earlier by Daniel Teklehaimanot, who in 2015, became the first Eritrean to ride in the Tour de France and famously wore the King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey".
https://t.co/BcS0SjcC7u

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

#Eritrea: Statement by Ambassador Salih Omar Abdu at the 7th AU–EU Summit; Luanda, Angola, 24 Nov. 2025

*"...The stability of the current international system depends on each and every State’s commitment to respect the cardinal principles that underpin it. As stated in the draft Joint Declaration of this summit, the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states cannot be negotiated or compromised; and States must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force. Unequivocal adherence to these principles, enshrined in the UN Charter, are conditions sine qua non for peaceful inter-state relations".

*...Eritrea is concerned that the imposition of unilateral sanctions on several African countries severely hampers their efforts to access international development and climate finance, achieve industrialization and mobilize private sector capital. This hinders the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the aspiration of Agenda 2063, the Africa We Want".

*"...In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm Eritrea’s continued commitment to contribute its share to the promotion of peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea Regions. Eritrea also remains committed to contribute to the collective effort of making this partnership a win-win engagement, that adds value to the two Unions, through co-ownership".
https://t.co/AEaFKQQR7o

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Prosperity Party (aka Potemkin Party) signature media trademark is better encapsulated in the following algebraic equation:
PP propaganda = Optics + Posturing + Deception + Disinformation; (the four variables have different weights depending on the event/intended objective).

This is indeed the hallmark of the numerous articles churned out on a daily/weekly basis by PP's extensive media platforms (Horn Review; Foreign Policy Institute; X accounts of hired lobbyists etc.).

Latest spin in this profusely boring and stale saga revolves on misconstruing the ordinary and periodic foreign military visits to Addis Ababa - Italian Navy; AFRICOM, France's Armed Forces etc. - as "explicit and pronounced endorsement of its quest for access to the sea".

The hollow optics of the whole affair apart, the controversy has never been on normative access to the sea. Truth is, Ethiopia enjoys a "buyers' market" with a wide latitude of choices and options for cementing viable commercial agreements with all the transit countries in the HoA neighbourhood for purposes of trade.

"Sovereign access to the sea" is however a toxic agenda that infringes on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ethiopia's neighbours in flagrant violation of international law, and, the foundational principles of the UN Charter and the AU Constitutive Act.

Another intriguing/perplexing dimension of PP's quest for "sovereign access to the sea" is its repeated allusion to the exigency of projecting "Naval power in the Red Sea".

True, the Red Sea is an important maritime route for global commercial trade. But this does not mean that all the countries - from near or far - whose commercial transactions somehow pass through the Red Sea have a "legal right or exigency" to acquire naval bases on the shores of the Red Sea!

As expounded in the link below, the littoral States of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have a consensual position on their obligations and legal prerogatives in securing and promoting enduring and sustainable stability of the crucial international maritime route.

In the event, Potemkin Party's elusive obsession of projecting "naval power" in the Red Sea has no security rationale or dividends whatsoever. And besides its dangerous legal and security ramifications, the obsession is indeed akin to the adage: "ጽንብላሊዕ'ሲ መቐመጫኣ ዘይከደነት፥ ምድሪ ከደነት" ።

https://t.co/Y69MJ6Tn4u

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Good Read - #Eritrea’s Steady Hand: Principles and Cooperation in the Horn of Africa; by Bana Negusse

"...Eritrea’s approach to regional peace and cooperation is neither reactive nor opportunistic. It is rooted in longstanding principles, a commitment to sovereignty, and an insistence on locally owned solutions. As the Horn of Africa continues to face overlapping crises, the recognition shown by regional and international partners reflects an emerging reality: sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the inclusion of actors who prioritize stability over short-term political gains. Eritrea’s steady and principled engagement – often overlooked – remains essential to any genuine effort to build a more peaceful and cooperative Horn of Africa".

https://t.co/2NiT1phIGO

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 @hawelti]

Potemkin Party's declared "war manifesto" seems to be morphing - through constant packaging and re-packaging - into "the aggrieved party" mode these days.

Indeed, the incessant and toxic mantra on "acquiring sovereign access to the sea by force if necessary .. the imperative to project naval power in the Red Sea.. the revisionist and blasphemous pronouncements on Eritrea's independence...etc. " that the war-mongering PP has been floating for the last two years has been temporarily turned on "mute-mode" in the past few weeks.

The transparent ploy is designed to hoodwink public opinion by rationalizing the unprovoked and reckless war that the PP has been itching to unleash against Eritrea for the past two years as a "legitimate act of self defense".

This is the gist of the long and monotonous diatribe that PP's Foreign Minister delivered at a "Foreign Policy Forum" in Addis Ababa on Thursday this week whose central theme was on "Eritrea's perennial acts of destabilization against Ethiopia".

Strange as it may sound, PP's senior officials seem to suffer from acute deficits of institutional memory - they claim they are not able "to retrieve them from Cabinet, Parliamentary and other archives". In the event and to refresh the memories of the FM and his Potemkin Party colleagues in a broad-brash and snapshot manner, we will dwell on the following indelible historical facts:

1. Eritrea's three decades war of national liberation was sparked because Ethiopia unilaterally abrogated the sham Federation and annexed Eritrea in flagrant contravention of international law. The Federal Act itself was a blatant violation of Eritrea's inalienable rights of decolonization. Ethiopia's surrogate role in the original illicit act; annexation, and intermittent relapse of its expansionist and irredentist agendas were, and continue to remain, the singular causes of the periodic conflicts that have raged between the two countries.
2. In a nutshell, Eritrea has invariably been on the receiving end for the costly and unnecessary conflicts that successive Ethiopian regime have and continue to unleash because they covet their neighbour's land and endowments.
2. The vicious 1998-2000 border war between the two countries was unleashed by the incumbent Ethiopian regime under the putative pretext of "dispute on Badme and its environs". Although they are singing to a different tune these days, PP's senior officials - including the current Army Chief of Staff - confessed only four years ago that they were ashamed and embarrassed at the time when the Parliament accused Eritrea for aggression and declared war in May 1998 while the army had been given explicit instructions to unleash war weeks earlier. The maximalist agenda of the war went beyond regaining the "disputed territory". In the early weeks of the war, the then Deputy Foreign Minister, Tekeda Alemu, publicly announced to a gathering of the Ethiopian community in Washington that "capturing Assab" was one of the central objectives of the war. During the 3rd Offensive, the Ethiopian regime halted the US-EU facilitated negotiations in Algiers while the Ethiopian army launched a massive military assault on Assab with disastrous consequences. Ethiopia signed the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement only after, and because of, this debacle. The Moratorium on Air Strikes brokered by President Clinton in July 1998; the Technical Arrangements; the Algiers Agreement, and later the EEBC Award were violated by incumbent Ethiopian regimes because they were not sincerely committed to nurturing and consolidating good-neighbourly ties between the two countries on the basis of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
3. The Potemkin Party is suffering from the same irredentist malaise with its current war agenda cloaked in "sovereign access to the sea". The accusation alluding to Eritrea's visceral stance and "Isaias doctrine" of fomenting perpetual "destabilization" of Ethiopia is too ludicrous to merit elaboration. Small Eritrea must indeed have Providential powers if it is potent enough to destabilize its much larger neighbour for decades. The truth is the wars that are raging in virtually all of Ethiopia's Regions are incubated by the regime's own flawed governance architecture.
4. The FM further digresses to what has become normative among PP officials and trolls these days of disparaging Eritrea's economic endowments and growth as well as its governance architecture. Again, this is too audacious coming as it does from a country whose economy is overstressed and burdened by debilitating poverty in spite of over 84 billion US$ of receiving international development assistance over the last three decades; periodic IMF financial bailouts; and cyclical rounds of intensive care (Food Safety nets etc.). Currently, 21.4 million Ethiopian are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, while 68.7% are multidimentionally poor. And as mentioned above, the country is seething under spiraling conflicts that emanate from misguided governance structures that polarize society along entrenched and centrifugal ethnic cleavages.

We could go on and on.. but it would be meaningless: "ዘረባ ኣደይ ለቱ፥ ኣየውፍር ኣየእቱ"፥ ስለዝኾነ እቲ ነገሩ!

[Yemane G. Meskel 🇪�� @hawelti]

Hilarious! The circus .... Potemkin Party (PP)'s Parrots Show, is on.

These Ambassadors have no creativity whatsoever, or modicum of ingenuity, as they sheepishly carry out the smear campaign they are instructed to recycle using the same script issued from the Foreign Ministry HQ.