Eritrea, located in the Horn of Africa, is a nation with a complex and challenging political landscape. Since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has been characterized by a highly militarized and authoritarian regime. I think it’s important to highlight that the country hasn’t held a national election since its independence. This, coupled with a Freedom House score of just 3/100, paints a stark picture of the lack of political freedom. Arbitrary detention and mandatory national service, often extending throughout citizens’ working lives, are unfortunately commonplace.
In 2001, the government shut down all independent media, further restricting information flow and freedom of expression. This oppressive environment extends to digital governance as well. Given these circumstances, it’s not surprising that reliable data on Eritrea’s digital governance is scarce. Yet, I’ve managed to gather some insights.
Snapshot of digital Eritrea
Eritrea is situated in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Ethiopia to the south, Sudan to the west, and Djibouti to the southeast. This strategic location could theoretically offer opportunities for digital connectivity and regional cooperation, but the political climate severely restricts such prospects.
The authoritarian regime’s tight grip on information and communication means that any digital governance initiatives are likely to be heavily controlled and limited in scope. The lack of independent media and the suppression of dissent create an environment where digital transparency and citizen participation are virtually nonexistent. In other words, the digital landscape in Eritrea is as restrictive as its political environment.
How does digital Eritrea rank internationally
According to the UN’s EGDI report, Eritrea ranks 192nd in e-governance and 193rd (the last country in the world) in e-participation, highlighting significant challenges in these areas. What I’d like to add is that, despite being a coastal country, Eritrea’s EGDI values are comparable to landlocked developing countries, which typically face more connectivity barriers.
As of early 2024, Eritrea had 1.01 million internet users, with an internet penetration rate of 26.6%. Additionally, only 13.8 thousand people in Eritrea were social media users, which is a mere 0.4% of the total population. In terms of mobile connectivity, 1.58 million cellular mobile connections were active, accounting for 41.9% of the population.
The 2022 UN report highlighted a critical issue: Eritrea was one of only three countries in the world without a national portal, the others being Belize and Mauritania. This absence is a stark indicator of the country’s lag in digital governance. Moreover, access to electricity is heavily skewed towards urban areas. This urban-rural disparity further complicates efforts to enhance digital infrastructure and access.
Given these circumstances, it is clear that Eritrea has substantial ground to cover in its digital journey. The low penetration rates for both the internet and social media, coupled with the lack of a national portal, highlight severe infrastructural and systemic deficiencies. Furthermore, the skewed access to electricity exacerbates the digital divide, particularly between urban and rural populations.
I’d like to compare Eritrea with Rwanda, which, despite being landlocked, has made significant progress in digital transformation through strong government initiatives and public-private partnerships. In fact, Rwanda is the first country in the entire continent when it comes to e-participation. What I like most about Rwanda’s approach is its focus on inclusive digital growth, something Eritrea could potentially emulate.
Final thoughts
With the right political will and international support, Eritrea could begin to open up and leverage digital technologies to improve governance and public services. Despite these daunting challenges, I believe that with strategic planning, international cooperation, and dedicated efforts to improve both infrastructure and digital literacy, Eritrea can make significant strides towards better digital governance.
However, for now, the reality remains bleak, and the prospects for digital advancement are constrained by the broader political and social context.
Sources:
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/56-Eritrea
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/DDD/ddd_ERI.pdf
https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-eritrea?rq=eritrea
https://www.undp.org/eritrea/news/future-development-digital https://freedomhouse.org/country/eritrea/freedom-world/2024
