Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

youth in positive activities. In addition, the Government of Djibouti approves themes for Friday
prayer services to ensure the sermons do not incite to violence.
ERITREA
Overview: There was limited dialogue between Eritrea and the United States regarding terrorism
in 2012. The Government of Eritrea stressed that it wanted to be a partner in international
counterterrorism efforts, and it cooperated in providing over-flight clearance to U.S. military
aircraft engaged in regional security missions.
Still, its poor relations with surrounding nations, potential African partners, and the United States
reduced opportunities for cooperation. Lack of transparency on how governing structures
function meant that there is not a clear picture of methods the government used to track terrorists
or maintain safeguards for its citizens. For a number of years, members of the police have
refused to meet with security officials of western nations, closing off opportunities for
information-sharing and dialogue. The Eritrean government’s national doctrine of self-reliance
and disinclination to accept international assistance prevented the United States from providing
training, technology, or other counterterrorism assistance.
In May, the United States re-certified Eritrea as “not cooperating fully” with U.S.
counterterrorism efforts under Section 40A of the Arms Export and Control Act, as amended. In
considering this annual determination, the Department of State reviewed Eritrea’s overall level
of cooperation with U.S. efforts to combat terrorism, taking into account U.S. counterterrorism
objectives and a realistic assessment of Eritrean capabilities.
Eritrea has been under UNSC sanctions since December 2009. UNSCR 1907 imposed an arms
embargo on Eritrea and a travel ban and asset freeze on some military and political leaders,
calling on the nation to “cease arming, training and equipping armed groups and their members,
including al-Shabaab, that aim to destabilize the region.” In December 2011, UNSCR 2023 was
adopted, strengthening the provisions of the earlier resolution and establishing guidelines for use
of the “diaspora tax” that the government levies on Eritreans living overseas.
Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: The Government of Eritrea closely
monitors passenger manifests for any flights coming into Asmara, and scrutinizes travel
documents of visitors, but does not take fingerprints. The government did not share information
gathered at ports of entry with the United States. Eritrea’s borders with Ethiopia and Djibouti are
tightly controlled, whereas the border with Sudan is porous in some places, resulting in
considerable movement across by persons who are not recorded as coming or going.
As U.S. relations with Eritrean law enforcement entities were extremely limited, we do not know
what capabilities the Eritrean government had in terms of special response units. In September,
however, the Eritrean government cooperated effectively with the Embassy, Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and Department of Justice in denying a work permit to a third-country national
suspected of terrorist affiliation.
In 2011, the government ceased providing police protection to diplomatic missions, claiming
Asmara to be safe. The Embassy periodically requested and received extra police for special
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