Eritrea: EU aid focuses on energy projects

Energy will represent the bulk of a €200m ($226m) package from the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) to finance Eritrea’s National Indicative Programme (NIP) for 2014-20. The package approved on 17 November by the 28 European Union member states earmarks €170m for energy projects, while the remainder will finance programmes to improve governance and strengthen public administration capacity. The adoption of the NIP highlights the EU’s interest in investing in a country that is a major source of migrant flows to Europe, by funding infrastructure projects that can improve conditions for growth and employment.