Last week, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator, Mr. Achim Steiner, completed a two-day visit to Eritrea. Upon its conclusion, he thanked the government and the people of Eritrea for the warm welcome and spoke glowingly of his meeting with President Isaias. This high commendation unsurprisingly irked a slew of Eritrea’s detractors who are critical of Eritrea, and of President Isaias’s leadership. Nothing good is supposed to be said of Eritrea!

This has been the case, ever since Eritrea kicked out all subversive US Aid organizations. Almost immediately, leading men and media in the West turned on the country and its leader. From acknowledging President Isaias’s progressive leadership, they immediately baptized him a dictator. As for Eritrea, from acknowledging it as an “African Success Story”, they baptized it the North Korea of Africa. Some Western organizations adopted the same negativity. It soon became the norm to give the Western public a false and misleading picture of Eritrea as a country.

International organizations in Eritrea

So what has changed? Why has the UNDP administrator spoken impressively of Eritrea, and of UNDPs good working relationship there? The Western public must naturally be curious. Is not this the same Eritrea that they are told is hostile to international organizations? Is not this the same country that they are told has banned all international organizations, and isolated itself? All these insinuations, of course, have nothing to do with the facts.

The UN has several entities working in Eritrea and the government has shown its willingness to cooperate on development programs. But the key word here is ‘development programs’. Mr. Achim alludes to that in his statement. Besides appreciating the dialogue with President Isaias, and with Government Ministers, and experts, he cites partnerships on key sectors such as renewable energy pathways.

But before that, he inadvertently references the drive behind Eritrea’s self-reliance policy and the guiding principle behind its relationship with international organizations. “During my visit to Eritrea,” Mr. Achim tellingly reveals “development priorities were a central focus.” Notice, for emphasis, he talks of ‘development priorities’ not charity or aid priorities. That says a lot about Eritrea.

Eritrea’s attitude toward aid

So does that mean Eritrea is wholly against aid programs, that it is self-isolating? Not by any stretch. Indeed, no neutral observer would conclude so. Any misrepresentations arise from imperial-minded opposition to Eritrea’s self-reliance path. President Isaias himself, in a 2011 interview on the sidelines of UN General Assembly Meeting in New York, clarified that self-reliance does not mean isolation.

Generally, the example Eritrea is showing, the argument the country is making, is that Africans need to own up to their future. They need to design their own philosophy of development. In President Isaias’s words: “We cannot depend on someone else’s experience on this, we know our own realities, we have to really be articulate in designing programs that suit our own reality.”

Views contrary to that, and bedeviling Eritrea are simply a misrepresentation – most times intended, and a few times unintended – of Eritrea’s feted self-reliance policy and foreign aid perspective. However, for Eritrea’s true position on foreign aid, I recommend reading a paper by President Isaias, published in the Forum for Applied Research & Public Policy in 1997.

Eritrea’s Position on foreign aid

In that very seminal paper, written barely four years after liberating his country, President Isaias points out that “Foreign aid works best when it’s self-limiting.” He then concludes the paper by stating his own vision and based on it, his country’s position on foreign aid:

While the Eritrean government welcomes properly focused aid programs, it is inclined to discourage the proliferation of fragmented aid programs that do a better job of meeting the needs of donor, rather than recipient, nations.

Presiden Isaias Afwerki (2007)

It is now 26 years later.  Many things have changed in Eritrea. The country’s domestic programs have evolved, as has its foreign policy. The country’s international relations have equally evolved in tandem with the geopolitical realities of an increasingly multipolar world. But through all these changes, the country’s vision of self-reliance and independent economic development is a constant.

Its rejection of foreign aid relations based on the denigrate ‘donor’ and ‘recipient’ relationship remains unwavering. Its rejection of a ‘beggar–master’ relationship that is entrenched in the current foreign aid architecture promoted in Africa remains unwavering. And its demand for a symmetric partnership in all its engagement with foreign partners remains unwavering.

In that context, Eritrea demands to be treated as an equal partner rather than a passive recipient. President Isaias’s idea of national relations with international organizations is that both parties relate on equal footing. Neither of the two should be dominating or controlling the other.

Symmetrical relationship prioritized

A symmetrical relationship, in the context of international development, means that both the donor and recipient countries or organizations are seen as equal partners in a project or program. This approach emphasizes mutual respect, cooperation, and joint decision-making.

The goal is often to achieve sustainable development outcomes that benefit both partners. Thus, Eritrea demands to lead development efforts itself, with external support and resources provided in a manner that is consistent with the local needs and priorities of Eritrea.

That some Western organizations would disagree with this idea, justifies the correctness of President Isaias’ observation that as it is, foreign aid is designed to be ‘disabling and self-perpetuating’. That it is intended, not to help recipient nations rise to their feet, but rather, to boost the donor nations’ sense of security.

Understanding UNDP’s Success in Eritrea

So, what is behind UNDP’s success in Eritrea, that Mr. Achim spoke so glowingly? One can only speculate, but knowing Eritrea’s unwavering stance on self-reliance, a few possibilities suffice.  Specifically, UNDP’s success in Eritrea can be attributed to its approach of building a symmetric partnership with the country.

This means that both UNDP and Eritrea have an equal say in decision-making processes and work collaboratively towards common goals. Eritrea’s self-reliance efforts are respected and taken into consideration by UNDP. This has in turn cultivated a more conducive working environment for the organization in the country.

So, if the success of UNDP in Eritrea as attested to by its Administrator, Mr. Achim teaches us anything, it is that any international organization that accepts a symmetric partnership, and that respect Eritrea’s self-reliance efforts, will find no more supportive and conducive a country to work in, than Eritrea.

Self-reliance is a principle that Eritrea practices in matters of development, small and big. It is not a slogan, but an ideological pillar of the country’s economic psyche since it gained statehood. UNDP, unlike its other UN peers, seems to have understood that. So, it is no surprise that Mr. Achim felt welcome in Eritrea, and UNDP is enjoying its work in Eritrea.

Implications for Africa’s Development

The success of UNDP in Eritrea offers valuable lessons for African countries and their relations with aid organizations. Symmetric partnerships, based on mutual respect and collaboration, can lead to more sustainable and effective development outcomes.

African countries can benefit from adopting a similar approach to Eritrea, prioritizing self-reliance in their development policies. They should seek out partnerships with aid organizations that are based on equality and mutual benefit. This would allow for greater ownership and sustainability of development efforts, as well as a more respectful and collaborative relationship with international partners.

For aid organizations operating in Africa, the success of UNDP in Eritrea highlights the importance of building strong partnerships with countries that prioritize self-reliance. By respecting local contexts and working collaboratively with countries, aid organizations can achieve greater impact and effectiveness in their development efforts.

Regardless of how one views it, UNDP’s success in Eritrea demonstrates the benefits of a symmetric partnership and offers valuable insights for African countries and aid organizations seeking to improve their development outcomes. By prioritizing collaboration, mutual respect, and self-reliance, African countries and aid organizations can work together toward more sustainable and effective development outcomes in the continent.