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The Central Council of the Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) held three meetings of its 4th regular meeting on 14th,15^th, and 20^th of August 2022. It deeply discussed and passed resolutions on various important issues taking its huge responsibility into consideration as the meeting was convened under a sensitive situation of rapid political changes taking place in our region. The meeting started with an introductory speech delivered by the Party chairman, Tesfai Woldemichael (Degiga), followed by the adoption of the agenda for the Central Council meeting.

First on the agenda was discussion on the draft report of the executive committee that had been sent to the Council members earlier. The Council also heard the annual financial and asset report submitted by the Party’s General Auditor and held discussion on that as well. The council then endorsed all the reports after making some improvements and passed resolution on important points that need to be accomplished in the future. One of the focal points that the Council passed resolution on is concerning the enhancement of the Party’s internal capacity with emphasis on the full participation of the party members in the preparation for the 4^th Party Congress due to take place next year.

At winding up the discussion on the reports, the CC elected a committee that presided over the rest of the meeting under whose leadership it discussed and passed the following important resolutions.

1. On the Unified Action of the Opposition Camp

Understanding the importance of Unity and unified action, the Council carried out an intensive evaluation based on pertinent decisions made in the past regular and extraordinary meetings. In this discussion, the council recalled the four-point proposal of June 2017 for joint work in the opposition camp and testified that the party leadership and grassroots worked with full commitment for over two years to see to it that Eritrean Pollical Forces (EPF) becomes a force to be reckoned with. However, although the desired goals were not fully achieved, the efforts by all concerned did not remain futile. In fact, the Council noted that a positive experience has been achieved in bringing the political forces close to one another and in enabling them endorse documents of mutual importance.

 Furthermore, the Council reiterated that there is no alternative to unified action in the strive for uprooting the PFDJ and in fulfilling the Eritrean peoples’ aspirations and that it will continue to do everything it can to create a broad-based forum that can encompass all political forces, popular movements, and individual Eritreans in their collective effort for change. The annual 4^th CC session also decided that EPDP’s participation in the unified action will be realized in a way that will not adversely affect the empowering and enhancing of the Party’s internal capacity. As the struggle for a unified action is not a task to be left for a certain side but an obligation that must be met by every force for change, the Council has urged every one of them to effectively play their part.

2. On Current Regional developments and Relations

The other issue that the Council discussed in depth was the political dynamism and alliance of forces taking place in the region that directly impact the Eritrean situation. On the one hand, the Council has taken note (till August 20) of the slowing down of the war in Tigray and saw the window of hope for a peaceful solution; while on the one hand, it has understood that the PFDJ regime has become an obstacle to the peace process in Ethiopia and defiant to accept the international community’s call for its withdrawal from Ethiopia.

With the recent reduction in war damage and the resumption of limited Humanitarian aid to Tigray, The EPDP CC has seen the validation of its stand since day one. The party’s position remained that war was not an alternative to peaceful means to resolve the difference between the Ethiopian Federal government and the regional state of Tigray. Likewise, EPDP’s firm condemnation of the intervention of Eritrean Regime in the war and the damage it inflicted upon the people and the property in the war zone and the siege that ensued has all passed the test of time.

Based on its policy decisions, the Council has once again renewed its long-held position and fraternal relationship between Eritrea and Tigray, and they must continue in a way that safeguards peace and interests of both peoples, and that EPDP will implement its decisions with all its capacity, always with the central objective of defending Eritrea’s sovereign statehood.  

  Needless to say, the CC reiterated its commendation of the TPLF-led Tigray Reginal government for its clear support of Eritrean sovereignty at various occasions. On the hand, the Council called on certain individuals, groups, and some private media outlets to refrain from propagating against Eritrean people’s unity and the sovereignty of the country as this will not benefit both sides. sovereignty as this will not benefit both people. The EPDP thus urged the TPLF-led regional government to play its part in silencing such negative forces.

CC discussions at the 4^th session meetings were not limited on Ethiopia/Tigray relations but also assessed PFDJ’s unwarranted interferences in the internal affairs of the Sudan and other neighboring countries acknowledging that this is against Eritrea’s interest and peace and that the council would closely follow up such negative developments.

In addition to meddling in the neighborhood, Eritrea’s PFDJ is currently putting our country in another black page in history by allying with invaders. The PFDJ supported Russia in its invasion of Ukrainian sovereignty and has also sided with China with regards to its plan to annex Taiwan. Considering the consequences of such precedents in current world order, the EPDP Central Council meeting unequivocally denounced these Eritrean regime actions.

3. Eritrean Refugees

The meeting discussed about the hardships that Eritrean refugees face in all corners of the world with special focus on the problems that they have encountered following the Tigray war. The Central council has discussed about those refugees suffering in all towns pursuant to the war in Tigray with particular emphasis on the life-threatening situation that the refugees are going through in the new camp located in a place called Alemwacha in the vicinity of Dabat/Gonder. The EPDP Central Council has also expressed its deep concerns on the conditions of Eritrean refugees in the Sudan as some of them are being randomly arrested and jailed and being forced to pay huge amount of money that they cannot afford.

The Central Council urges all governments hosting the Eritrean refugees who are constantly asking for help and calls on all other concerned international organizations to give due attention to these refugees.

4. PFDJ Festivals

The Central Council meeting commended all Eritrean forces of change particularly the Eritrean youth for their activities against all PFDJ movements especially for their struggle to foil PFDJ festivals that were organized to collect illegal funds and to disseminate hate propaganda. The meeting commended all those who took part in delaying the recent PFDJ festivals in Sweden and Texas from going as planned and canceling the festival in Holland while at the same time encourages them to enhance their struggle.

The Central Council meeting democratically elected a nine-member executive committee and an auditor who will be leading the party for the next one year as per the party’s constitution article 6.1.15.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council expressed its gratitude to its members and other supporters for the material and moral support they have been rendering to the party and requested them to elevate their support for the overall success of the party’s principles and that of its upcoming fourth Congress. It has also called upon the Eritrean people to relentlessly raise their struggle for Liberation and peace.

We strive for Constitutional governance, Democracy and Development.