Our Vision Is Emboldened By Our Hard Work!

In the weeks leading to the New Year, it is of great importance to conduct an objective assessment at the individual, collective, institutional  and  societal  levels,  and  address  what  has  been  accomplished, how much capital and experience has been gathered, what advantages and  disadvantages  there  have  been  and  so  on…  Such an assessment plays a decisive role in minimizing the weaknesses and upholding the strong points, thereby boosting the gathered momentum in the nation building process.

The vision of the people of Eritrea is to build a stable and prosperous nation, for whose independence a hefty price was paid and matching reward harvested. And this vision is attained not by wishing, promoting individualism, absconding from hard work or seeking handouts from superpowers; it instead requires heavy sacrifices and dedicated efforts that put forward the interests of the nation and its people.

In fact, a lot of committed citizens, and particularly youngsters aware of the responsibilities shouldered upon them, have been rebuffing against open and covert external hostilities and working dedicatedly to realize the national vision.  And as an outcome of these efforts, the Eritrean economy, along with its postwar vestiges and in spite of being under a no-war-no-peace situation, has endured all hurdles and is on track of registering huge progress, as witnessed by friends and foes.

In the past years of hard work and dedication, in line with  the  national  food  security  plan,  we  have  laid  the  basic  foundations that can enable us to exploit our agricultural resources, and we are found at a juncture of turning our rain fed traditional farming into a modern one. It is therefore eminent that our agricultural output will from now on grow in folds, qualitatively and quantitatively. And in line with this, different agro-industries that will process these products are also flourishing.

The strategic dams, roads, housing complexes, provisions of power and potable water supply, transport and communication services, all have  enabled  to  bring  remote  places  closer  and  establish  portals  to domestic and foreign markets in addition to creating favorable ground for investment as well as trade and economic activities. Consequently, interests of local and foreign investors in agriculture, mining, industry and tourism sectors has been growing, pushing us into a stage of tangible profits.

Social services, and particularly education and health services, being the main indicators of human development, the progress we have registered in providing these services to citizens in remote rural areas have earned admiration at continental and international levels.

We can hear Eritrea being lauded for achieving commendable progress in terms of the Millennium Development Goals. And  since  the foundations  have  been  laid,  what  remains  is  simply  to  enhance  the quality of service rendered by these institutions.

The  fact  that  the  success  we  have  registered  in  laying  basic  infra-structure, boosting industrial and agricultural productivity, and ensuring provision of services, along with the willpower and confidence it has built, is based on our own resources attests to the bright future of the people.

There is also one more significant resource than all the above that Eritreans as a people possess. The Eritrean people have been able to establish a stable and harmonious livelihood, owing a great deal to its national unity cultivated during its struggle for liberation and development, and also to its norms and values.  This factor has enabled the Eritrean people to have, unlike in other societies, confidence as well as internal peace and stability. And since the latter are the basis for development, the people of Eritrea, along with their struggle for development, are found in a milestone where they can look at their bright future just a little far away.

As understood, the objective of a society is continued potency and improvement.  Therefore, in order for the nation and people to fully realize the vision, the efforts need to be stepped up in the New Year 2014, because only work can make the national vision glow brighter!