Eritrea woos UAE investors

Afewerki also urged UAE investors to tap into the huge investment opportunities in his country, where, he said, success is assured.

He invited the UAE businessmen to visit Eritrea to learn about the various investment opportunities in the country.

Afewerki was on a three-day official visit to the UAE. He arrived in the country on Monday to meet the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to discuss bilateral relations and the ways of enhancing cooperation in the areas of trade and investment.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times in Dubai on Tuesday, President Afewerki said the UAE-Eritrea ties dated back to more than 30 years. He said the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had played a great role in supporting the Eritrean cause. "We will never forget his support for us," he said.

He added: "The UAE has spared no effort in providing financial and economic aid for the development and reconstruction of Eritrea. The Abu Dhabi Development Fund has financed many a development project in our country."

Afewerki said that bilateral ties between the UAE and Eritrea had strengthened over the years. He added that his government, for the last 15 years, had been trying to create a conducive atmosphere to attract investors from the UAE and other Arab countries.

The Eritrean government, he said, was focused on developing basic infrastructure projects, where UAE investors could play a major role. Such investments, he said, would undoubtedly put Eritrea on the international map of trade and transport. "We are looking forward to healthy trade and investment relations with the UAE," he added.