The Eritrean Regime and its Relationship with the Outside World

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the isolation of the Eritrean regime, detailing its strained relations with the international community, conflicts with neighboring states, and the economic impact of international sanctions and restrictions.

• Tensions between Eritrea and the United Kingdom escalated following the detention of four British citizens from December 2010 to June 12, 2011. The detainees, former Royal marines employed by Protection Vessels International (PVI), were accused by the Eritrean Ministry of Information of "acts of invasion, organizing terrorism and espionage". In retaliation, the UK government restricted the Eritrean embassy in London's services to the Eritrean community and banned the collection of taxes from Eritreans in the UK.
• The Eritrean government has engaged in multiple armed conflicts with neighboring countries, which the author suggests is a strategy to use external threats as a "scapegoat" for poor domestic economic growth and democracy. These include a 1995 conflict with Yemen over the island of Greater Hanish, a 1998 war with Ethiopia over Badme, and a 2008 clash with Djibouti over the Ras Dumeira area.
• Eritrea has faced significant international isolation and sanctions. The UN Security Council passed resolution 1907 (2009) and imposed arms and travel sanctions due to Eritrea's alleged support for Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam in Somalia. Additionally, Eritrea boycotted the African Union (AU) for over a decade and withdrew from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) following a rift with Ethiopia in 2007.
• The Eritrean economy relies heavily on revenues from citizens living abroad, including a two percent income tax. The government penalizes families in Eritrea with imprisonment or a 50,000 Nakfa fine if overseas nationals refuse to pay. However, the UK and Australian governments have banned this taxation, potentially leading to a "drastic fall in revenues".

APA

Abate, A. (n.d.). The Eritrean Regime and its Relationship with the Outside World. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-eritrean-regime-and-its-relationship-with-the-outside-world

Chicago

Abate, Abele. The Eritrean Regime and its Relationship with the Outside World. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-eritrean-regime-and-its-relationship-with-the-outside-world.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Abate |first1=Abele |title=The Eritrean Regime and its Relationship with the Outside World |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-eritrean-regime-and-its-relationship-with-the-outside-world |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{abatenderitrean, author = {Abate, Abele}, title = {{The Eritrean Regime and its Relationship with the Outside World}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-eritrean-regime-and-its-relationship-with-the-outside-world}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }