China and Russia pursue Eritrea for its strategic location in Africa, resources and transport potential

Big powers consider Eritrea’s access to the Red Sea, Suez Canal and Persian Gulf waters and onwards to the Indian Ocean important

But Western countries have largely ‘given up’ on the country because of autocracy, military involvement in Tigray region and poor human rights record: analyst

Reading Time:3 minutes

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) holds a welcome ceremony for Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Beijing on May 15, 2023 before their talks. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 4:00pm, 15 Aug 2023

China and Russia are showing growing interest in Eritrea, a small African country in a strategic location but whose president is being shunned in the West for his autocratic governance.

Its geopolitical significance in the Horn of Africa and easy access to the Red Sea had attracted the attention of Beijing and Moscow, observers said, with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki endearing his country to the big powers and earning finance for projects and investments.

In 2021, Eritrea joined the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s multibillion-dollar programme that has helped build mega infrastructure projects – including ports, highways, power dams, railways and roads – across Africa.

Chinese belt and road engagements with Eritrea rose 359 per cent in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year, according to a recent study by the Green Finance and Development Centre at the Fanhai International School of Finance, Fudan University.

02:58

China announces US$3.8 billion Belt and Road expansion in Central Asia

Christoph Nedopil Wang, director of the Fanhai green finance centre, said Chinese investments in Eritrea were related to mining, including potash, a potassium-rich salt. He cited the Sichuan Road and Bridge Group’s buyout this year of Australia’s Danakali Colluli potash project worth US$131 million as an example.

China and Russia pursue Eritrea for its strategic location in Africa, resources and transport potential

Big powers consider Eritrea’s access to the Red Sea, Suez Canal and Persian Gulf waters and onwards to the Indian Ocean important But Western countries have largely ‘given up’ on the country because of autocracy, military involvement in Tigray region and poor human rights record: analyst

Big powers consider Eritrea’s access to the Red Sea, Suez Canal and Persian Gulf waters and onwards to the Indian Ocean important

But Western countries have largely ‘given up’ on the country because of autocracy, military involvement in Tigray region and poor human rights record: analyst