ERITREA

Warning

Isaias Afwerki and Meles Zenawi, leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea respectively, were considered two of Africa's leading lights, committed to free market reform and the end of despotism, and looked set to lead the emerging African republics into a shining new future. Then they found themselves disagreeing over border lines, and a little bit of hotheaded schoolyard pushing and shoving escalated into an all out bloody conflict. At issue is Badme, a tract of land between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and clashing economic interests over Eritrea's abandoment of the Ethiopian birr, and the adoption of their own currency, the nafka. Ethiopia and Eritrea remain locked in a death grip with neither side prepared to back down. In fact as time passes, the conflict is gaining intensity. School buildings have been bombed and civilians killed in the latest round of fighting. The US State Department has ordered all nonessential personnel home, and urged American civilians to get the hell out. Unless you're a kamikaze war correspondent, or a person just looking for trouble, Eritrea is not a place you want to visit.
Lonely Planet (May 1999)

Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings

Be careful - if you are going via Sudan, you cannot obtain an Eritrean visa in Khartoum. Because of the conflict with Ethiopia, it is not the best idea to go to Eritrea but the Cairo embassy still delivers visas (office open from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm every day except Friday and Saturday).
Eric Boudin, France (Oct 98)

Travel Tips

Anyone planning on driving the eastern route of Africa and planning to ship their vehicle from Egypt to Eritrea to Ethiopia - think twice. It is very expensive eg US$2000 for just one landrover, US$750 for one motorbike and US$5,500 for a Bedford Truck; passengers are extra. The vehicle has to go via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia which is a highly complex procedure due to the Saudi's reluctance to give out transit visas. We found many people had to be separated from their vehicle and had to fly separately in to Eritrea/Ethiopia. As a result we heard stories of equipment and vehicles being "lost". We tried for one month to get our vehicle on a boat for a reasonable price along with many other people staying on the same campsite. The solution is to try from Eilat, Israel and ship to Mombassa or Durban, this can still be very expensive. Many people we met turned back from Egypt and drove back to Europe and shipped directly from Germany, Holland and the UK for very reasonable prices and with good vehicle security.
Amanda Harvey - A Truck for Africa (May 98)

The birr is no longer used in Eritrea. The new currency is the "nakfa" and the current exchange is roughly 7 nakfa (nkf) = US$1.
Corporal Michael Gatto (May 98)

For more news, views and the odd bit of gibberish, drop in on the rec.travel.africa newsgroup.

For detailed up-to-date travel information check out Lonely Planet's Destination Eritrea.

Check out more African Postcards