ERITREA · DIASPORA
Key Facts
- —The country Eritrea is a one-party state on the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa, led since independence in 1993 by President Isaias Afwerki.
- —What happened Eritrean ambassadors held seminars for nationals in Geneva and Doha on Saturday 17 October and in Nairobi on Sunday 18 October 2026.
- —The message Envoys urged nationals to organize, keep national culture alive and pass it on, the information ministry site Shabait reported on 20 October.
- —US sanctions On 18 September 2026 the US Treasury delisted Eritrea’s ruling party, its army and four other targets after an emergency order expired.
- —US entry Eritrean citizens abroad still face a full US entry suspension that took effect on 1 January 2026, with exceptions such as green card holders.
- —The 2% tax The Netherlands describes a 2% levy on Eritreans abroad, which Asmara says rests on a 1994 law and has never been enforced outside Eritrea.
- —Still open Whether Washington and Asmara will move closer, and how nationals abroad respond to the call to organize.
The Eritrea diaspora, meaning Eritreans who live abroad, was called to organize at seminars in Geneva, Nairobi and Doha on 17 and 18 October 2026. Shabait, the website of Eritrea’s Ministry of Information, reported the meetings on Tuesday 20 October.
The push comes about a month after the US Treasury lifted sanctions on Eritrea’s ruling party and army, which matters to American investors. It also matters to Eritrean Americans, because a full US entry ban on Eritrean citizens still stands.
What Eritrean Envoys Told Nationals Abroad
In Geneva on Saturday 17 October, Habtom Zeray briefed Eritreans on their responsibilities, Shabait said. Habtom is Eritrea’s chargé d’affaires in Switzerland and its permanent representative to the UN Human Rights Council.
He said organization is the fundamental source of strength, according to Shabait, and urged unity and respect for national culture, passed on to younger generations. Ambassador Beyene Russom led a similar seminar in Nairobi on Sunday 18 October, and Ambassador Ali Ibrahim briefed nationals in Doha on 17 October.
Why the Diaspora Matters to Asmara
Asmara is the capital of Eritrea, and many Eritreans have left the country over the decades. That makes the Eritrea diaspora a major audience for the government in Asmara, which says it defends Eritrea’s sovereignty against Ethiopia over Red Sea access.
Ethiopia lost its coast when Eritrea became independent in 1993 and has pressed for sea access since. The Rio Times covered that dispute in its report on Eritrea’s accusations against Ethiopia at the UN.
The 2% Tax Governments Keep Watching
The Dutch cabinet wrote in September 2017 that Eritreans abroad are asked to pay a 2% Recovery and Rehabilitation Tax, collected through embassies. Eritrea told the UN in 2012 that the tax rests on a 1994 law and was never enforced outside the country.
The UN Security Council condemned the tax’s use to destabilize the region in Resolution 2023 of 5 December 2011. It also demanded that Eritrea stop collecting taxes abroad through extortion, threats of violence or fraud.
The Netherlands expelled Eritrea’s top diplomat over the issue in January 2018. A Dutch ministerial decree of 2016 bans collection linked to coercion or extortion.
What the US Lifted on 18 September
The US Treasury’s sanctions office, OFAC, said on 18 September 2026 that the emergency behind its Ethiopia-related sanctions, set up in 2021, had expired. It then removed the Eritrean Defense Forces and the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, Eritrea’s ruling party, from its list.
Four more targets left the list too, the Red Sea Trading Corporation, Hidri Trust and two Eritrean officials, Hagos Ghebrehiwet and Abraha Kassa. Eritrea’s information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, welcomed the decision, the African news agency APA reported on 23 September.
The US Entry Ban Still Stands
A US presidential proclamation lists Eritrea among the countries whose citizens face a full suspension of entry, in force since 1 January 2026. It covers immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for people outside the US without a valid visa on that date.
Green card holders and dual nationals travelling on another country’s passport are exempt, and so are refugees and asylees already admitted. The State Department’s Eritrea advisory, at Level 2 for increased caution, also warns of the risk of wrongful detention of US nationals.
What It Means for US Readers
For Eritrean Americans, the seminars show Asmara’s wish to keep ties with the Eritrea diaspora while the entry ban blocks many relatives. Travelers with Eritrean roots should read the Level 2 advisory, as the US embassy has limited power to help detained citizens.
For investors, the end of the sanctions removes one legal barrier to dealing with Eritrean state-linked firms, though other US rules may still apply. The UK also began visa penalties on Eritrean officials on 15 October, tying visas to migrant returns.
What Is Not Known
The Shabait report does not say how many people attended the seminars or whether the meetings addressed the 2% tax. It is open whether more seminars for the Eritrea diaspora will follow in other countries, including the United States.
It is also open whether the end of the sanctions will lead to talks between Washington and Asmara. The US government has made no public statement on any change to the entry ban for Eritrean citizens.
More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Eritrea diaspora?
The Eritrea diaspora means Eritreans who live outside Eritrea, in places such as Europe, the Gulf, East Africa and North America. Seminars this month reached Eritreans in Switzerland, Kenya and Qatar.
What did Eritrean envoys do on 17 and 18 October?
Envoys held seminars for the Eritrea diaspora in Geneva, Doha and Nairobi, Shabait reported. Speakers urged the Eritrea diaspora to organize, unity and the passing of national culture to younger generations.
Did the US lift sanctions on Eritrea?
On 18 September 2026 OFAC removed the ruling party, the army and four other targets after an emergency order expired. Targets listed under other US rules are not covered by that step.
Can Eritreans travel to the United States now?
Most Eritrean citizens outside the US face a full entry suspension that began on 1 January 2026. Green card holders, dual nationals on another passport, and refugees and asylees already admitted are exempt.
What is the Eritrean 2% diaspora tax?
The Dutch government describes it as a 2% levy on Eritreans abroad, called the Recovery and Rehabilitation Tax. Eritrea told the UN in 2012 that it rests on a 1994 law and was never enforced outside the country.
Is travel to Eritrea safe for Americans?
The State Department lists Eritrea at Level 2, exercise increased caution. It cites travel restrictions, limited consular help, landmines and the risk of wrongful detention of US nationals.
Sources: Shabait (Eritrea Ministry of Information), Nationals Resolve to Strengthen Contribution to National Affairs, 20 October 2026; US Treasury OFAC, Recent Actions 18 September 2026, 18 September 2026; APA news, Washington retire des sanctions visant des entités érythréennes, 23 September 2026; White House proclamation restricting entry of foreign nationals, December 2025, 16 December 2025; Dutch cabinet letter on the 2% tax, 18 September 2017; US State Department, Eritrea travel advisory, 31 July 2023; UN Security Council Resolution 2023, 5 December 2011.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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