Beyond Refugee Crisis and Human Trafficking - Perspectives for the Youth in the Horn of Africa with a special Focus on Eritrea - Vienna, Austria

O n November 3rd 2017 UPF achievements of the Government of Austria in cooperation with the Eritrea in laying down the fundamental Permanent Mission of Eritrea at infrastructure. the United Nations in Vienna, UNCAV – The moderator of the event, Mr. Yared United Nation Correspondents Tesfay, communication officer of the Association and the „Horn of Africa“ Embassy of Eritrea to the UK and Peace Initiative organized a panel Northern Ireland in London thanked all discussion with the topic „Beyond the guests for their interest in the Horn of Refugee Crisis and Human Trafficking - Africa and expressed his hope that the Perspectives for the Youth in the Horn of forum will bring some light to the issue of Africa with a special Focus on Eritrea“. migration and youth. He also expressed EriDiaspora TV: Engaging & his confidence that the event will Understanding the Horn of Africa ‘Focus contribute to creating an alternative on Eritrea’ perspective in addressing the issue of the European refugee crises and migration.

The discussion was opened by the The aim of the panel discussion was to president of the hosting organization Mr. reflect the untold story and share the view Peter Haider. He welcomed the guests and and experience of the horn on human gave a brief introduction on the general rights in relation to the recent objectives of the event. In the opening phenomenon of migration. The event was remarks Mr. Haider said that his The Key note speaker of the event Mr. attended by some 100 guests: diplomats, organization has hosted a number of Adem Osman, charge d’affaire of the UN staff, investors, members of civil events but the present one is unique in its Embassy and Permanent Mission of society, interested Austrian nationals, content and focus. He then thanked Mr. Eritrea to the UN and other international friends of the horn and in particular Abdelkadir Hamdan, Counsellor of the organizations in Geneva, based his Eritrea. It was also attended by people Eritrean Embassy in Germany and presentation on the general application of from Africa; mainly states of the horn: Representave to the Permanent Mission of human rights law, the mechanisms put in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan Eritrea to the UN in Vienna, for his efforts place to promote and protect human rights and South Sudan. The session focused on to make this event happen. After the with focus on the conduct of business of „Engaging with & Understanding the opening remarks, the audience were given the UNHRC and the mandates of the Horn of Africa – Focus on Eritrea“. the opportunity to see a short video on the special procedure. He stated in his

presentation that there is strong need to facilitated by a network operating from also gave some facts and figures on look at the history of the horn to have a mostly the camps in Ethiopia and some of migration and youth. A young University sober analysis of the present and the future them are operating in countries of the student, Ms. Fartun Osman from Somalia, opportunities and challenges. On that note destination. He further said that the shared her personal experience and told he emphasized that the coastal states of the number of Eritreans fleeing the country is the audience that the situation in her horn have become victim of their own at its lowest now. He also called upon the country is improving a lot and seems location as it gives them full control over world community to shoulder its promising. one of the world’s main maritime trade responsibility to pressure on Ethiopia to roots. Among other arguments, Mr. Adem evacuate the territories of Eritrea in substantiated his argument by the fact that accordance to the binding ruling that could the two diametrically opposite views of ultimately be helpful in the relationship of the West and East blocks were compelled the countries towards a better harmonized to be served by one agent (Mengistu Haile horn. He also highlighted the economic Mariam) proves nothing but the growth and the possibilities for investors. magnitude of the interests that the He then responded to a range of questions superpowers have. posed by participants form the audience.

Finally, participants who were given a time to pose their questions. They said that the forum has enlightened them on the situation and challenges that the horn continues to face and requested that such events be repeated in the future. In his closing remarks Mr. Peter Haider stressed Dr. Walter Lichem, who is a former the importance of the forum in bringing Austrian Ambassador to Chile and together the stakeholders from all fields to Canada and who also served as head of address and share their experience, as well According to him, the strong interests of the department of international as reflect the reality in Eritrea and the the superpowers that benefited from a organizations, spoke on his decades long Horn of Africa and explore further regime derived by a blind desire to get interests on Eritrea touching on many opportunities. access to the Red Sea in return of any issues of geopolitics. He focused on the demand have negated the people of Eritrea cohesiveness of the Eritrean society and the right to self-determination that was the resources. He advised Eritrea to restored in 1993 by a popular UN backed benefit from its cohesiveness and referendum. Pursuant to the presentation, proposed to establish human rights cities the price tag of negation of the self- to combat accusations. He shared his view determination was the loss of 65,000 that Eritrea is in the right path that needs martyrs and 10,000 persons with time and space. He also spoke on the permanent disability and unimaginable failure of the international community to lost opportunities. He underscored that enforce the binding ruling of the EEBC. Eritrea is the product of such a struggle and will continue to put the necessary infrastructure in its social justice driven The event was followed by a dinner, developmental programs. However, prepared by the Eritrean community in according to him, the full enjoyment of Vienna, which also created an opportunity human rights needs robust economic for further informal discussions. development and stability. Whenever these are threatened, states tend to introduce varying degree of security measures. The real measurement is therefore, whether a state is heading to the right direction or not. On the issue of trafficking and smuggling the key note DI Abdallah Sharief, President of United speaker said that there exists no human Nations Correspondents Association trafficking inside Eritrea as there is strong (UNCAV) and co-founder of the „Horn of and effective government. However, he Africa Peace Initiative “, who is from said smuggled people may end up being Sudan shared his personal experience on trafficked in the course of their dangerous migration when he came from his native journey in countries of transit. Speaking country to Europe, first to Hungary then to on the migration issue, he said that Germany and Austria in the early 70s. He Eritreans were driven by strong pull factor