May 23, 2026
Eritrea at 35: Honouring Independence, Building Partnership
By Ms. Nahla Valji , UN Resident Coordinator in Eritrea
This month, Eritreans across the country and around the world celebrate 35 years of independence. Marked this year under the theme “Our Resilience: Our Guarantee,” it is a milestone that resonates with particular force for a young independent state. Independence was not handed to Eritrea. It was won through a long struggle of three decades. Because this history is still recent, and within the lived experience of a generation, every family and every community continues to carry some memory of the struggle – and the cost of freedom.This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on what has been built since 1991: national institutions, schools, clinics, roads, water systems, and a strong sense of shared identity, guided by the values of self-reliance and social justice.
