[VIDEO] Keynote Address by President Isaias Afwerki during Eritrea’s 29th Independence Anniversary
Annex I
(Excerpts from President Isaias Afwerki’s Keynote Addresses at Independence Anniversary in 2017 on short and medium term developmental programmes and priorities)
o The strategy of harnessing and harvesting rainfall. This involves building the necessary water infrastructure through even spatial distribution and in a phased manner in order to ensure optimal utilization of our water, land and climatic resources and endowments with the ultimate aim of increasing agricultural production both in quantitative and qualitative terms through the introduction of modern technology.
o In marine resources, to pursue a similar strategy to build the requisite infrastructure in order to increase our domestic productive capacity;
o To funnel investment and more vigorous work to the energy sector so as to implement, in a modular manner, our planned schemes of revamping power generation and supply through the right mix of policy choices (thermal, solar, wind and other modalities of alternative energy). This is critical and indispensable for strengthening our developmental programmes in several sectors and especially for embarking on manufacturing and industrialization, due to its obvious strategic importance, at a fast pace.
o To increase investment in order to upgrade our domestic resources and capacity for the effective implementation of our programmes of physical infrastructure; (roads, ports, harbours, airports as well as housing projects that are being implemented at a slow pace);
o To increase public transport both in quality and quantity;
o To pursue the ongoing fiscal and monetary restructuring through more robust and qualitative administrative and managerial inputs;
o To enhance effective and efficient administrative competences by further reviewing and strengthening efforts already underway to address weakness and corrupt practices at various levels of administration;
o To increase integrated investment in our educational system – in terms of curriculum and supportive instruments, teachers/experts, infrastructure and other vital facilities – so as to augment our human capital and its multiplier dimensions through special attention and highest priority;
o To review already charted-out programmes and plans of action to encourage and ensure the participation and contribution of all Eritreans who reside abroad in all our developmental programmes;
These are the main priorities of the coming three to five years
Annex 2
(Excerpts from President Isaias Afwerki’s Keynote Addresses at Independence Anniversary in 2018 on short and medium term developmental programmes and priorities)
o Water infrastructure and distribution: To further refine our programmes of water supply for household, agriculture, and industrial consumption with the utilization of modern technology and associated means.
o Road, rail, cableway and oil pipelines: The three phases of i) renovation of existing systems; ii) expansion to ensure higher efficiency; and iii) implementation of new schemes that we have been pursuing in all these categories should be pursued with greater efficiency and expeditious scale of implementation.
o Ports and coastlines: To revive projects that were obstructed and interrupted, with upgraded plans and implement them within a wide framework of cooperation and partnership.
o Power generation and electricity supply: To replace the old and unreliable power generation system with a functional grid in the interim period and focus on the design and implementation of an expansive system that will adequately meet all long-term needs and requirements.
o Efficient and effective modern domestic road; rail, sea and air transport: To link these systems with regional networks within a revised plan.
o Housing: To implement-with revised plans, better technology and efficiency – various housing projects that have not been successful so far as provision of housing remains one of the fundamental yardsticks for measuring the quality of life.
o Health and Education Services: To modernize the health infrastructure to address wider category of health needs and services; to prioritize effective and all-rounded investment in education in order to improve access at all levels and thereby bolster our human capital which is critical for development and nation-building.
o Industrial sector: To undertake comprehensive review – of each programme and each enterprise – in order to formulate and implement a refined investment road-map.
o Implementation: To polish existing implementation mechanism in all the Development Fronts for higher effectiveness and to especially expedite the review of programmes and modalities underway to match the decisive contributions of our citizens in the Diaspora.
o Ensuring efficiency and effectiveness: to strengthen the relentless fight against corruption and speculation.
o Regional partnership and stability: to actively create a conducive regional climate for mutual respect and genuine partnership that enhance domestic development programmes.