Chapter 4: Red Sea, Horn of Africa
Eritrea: Overview
Facts
/ Geography, Climate / Cities
/ Posture Statement Excerpt
Leadership
/ System Essentials / Infrastructure
/ Population / Fielded Forces
/ Table of Contents
The Eritrean topography is dominated by the extension of the Ethiopian north-south highlands. The highlands descend on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain, and on the southwest to rolling plains. Eritrea occupies a strategic geopolitical position along the world's busiest shipping lanes and is close to the Arabian oil fields. Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon its secession from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993.
Eritrea's climate is hot and dry along the Red Sea coast, cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually), and semiarid in the western hills and lowlands. Rainfall is heaviest from June through September except on the coastal desert.
Eritrea's proximity to the critical Bab al Mandeb makes it strategically important. Its close political ties with other countries in the Horn of Africa also make it a valuable partner in the mediation of regional disputes. Since emerging as Africa's newest country upon secession from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has made significant progress. It enhanced its reconstruction efforts and economic recovery through international ties, a focus on infrastructure, and the development of national security measures.
Eritrea's prospects for the future seem bright, but the country still faces many challenges, including rebuilding and providing government services for its own population and over half a million Eritrean refugees returning from Sudan. The level of prosperity for this fledgling democracy is largely dependent on how much foreign assistance is received.
USCENTCOM efforts to establish a solid military-to-military relations program have met with great success. Development of a combined exercise program, an active ship visit program, and an Eritrean-led humanitarian de-mining program are underway. Plans for de-mining were completed in 1994 and operations are scheduled to commence in 1995. Efforts to build a professional military through general/flag officer visits and the IMET Program, and the establishment of a permanent USCENTCOM liaison office will also enhance U.S. military relations with Eritrea.