smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Eritrea
| Eritrea overall | This Advice is current for Saturday, 31 July 2010. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
| Regions bordering Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti | ||||
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Civil Unrest/Political Tension (UN sanctions against Eritrea and risk of violent protests) and Local Travel (Piracy). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Eritrea at this time due to the threat of terrorist attack against Western interests and dangerous security situation. If you do decide to travel to Eritrea, you should exercise extreme caution.
In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include government and military interests, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events, markets, public transport and tourist areas. Airports and aircraft are also possible targets.
On 23 December 2009 the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution imposing sanctions against Eritrea in response to the ongoing border dispute with Djibouti, as well as Eritrea’s support to armed groups in Somalia. Anti-sanctions protests have occurred in Eritrea. You should avoid all demonstrations and protests as they may turn violent and closely monitor media for information on events and developments that may affect your security and safety.
Fighting in Somalia since December 2006 has involved a number of countries in the region and has heightened the risks that active extremist groups pose to neighbouring countries. The continuation of the conflict has contributed to a decline in regional stability and sharpened tensions between Eritrea and some of its neighbours, including Ethiopia. Conflict in neighbouring countries could spill over into Eritrea.
Border with Ethiopia: We strongly advise you not to travel to the disputed border area between Eritrea and Ethiopia, including the town of Barentu, because of the extremely dangerous security situation, the risk of violence, bomb attacks and kidnap. For more information about kidnapping, see our Kidnap Threat in Africa travel bulletin.
A peace agreement signed between Eritrea and Ethiopia in 2000 is yet to be fully implemented and the border is heavily militarised and remains closed. Political tensions remain high and both sides are on heightened alert. Military clashes were reported along the border in January and February 2010, resulting in a number of fatalities. Hostilities could escalate further at any time. There are no direct flights between the two countries. See also our travel advice for Ethiopia.
Border with Sudan: We strongly advise you not to travel to the regions bordering Sudan, including the town of Teseney, because of the dangerous security situation. There is a high risk of banditry and insurgent activity, including bomb attacks. You should not attempt to cross the disputed border with Sudan as all checkpoints remain closed. See also our travel advice for Sudan.
Border with Djibouti: We strongly advise you not to travel to the border with Djibouti, including the port of Assab. There were military clashes between Eritrea and Djibouti in June 2008 and further conflict is possible. You should monitor local information sources for up-to-date reports.
Street crime is rare but does occur in cities and towns, including the capital, Asmara.
Banditry is common near the Djibouti border and along the coast north of Massawa and on some rural roads. In October 2009, a local employee and two local contractors working for an Australian mining company were killed when their vehicle was attacked north of Keren.
Heavy pedestrian and bicycle traffic and livestock pose hazards.
Driving on main roads outside of border areas is generally safe, but rural roads and off-road driving can be dangerous. Avoid travel after dark in rural areas. There are paved roads between the cities of Asmara, Massawa, Mendefera, Dekemhare, Baretun and Keren. Roads leading to smaller villages are unsealed. The standard of road maintenance in mountainous regions and through the escarpment may not be comparable to that in Australia. Narrow winding roads with crumbling edges often do not have safety barriers. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.
Public transport, particularly buses, is often overcrowded.
There are extensive unmarked minefields in Eritrea, particularly near the border with Ethiopia.
Walking and hiking in rural areas can be dangerous.
Travel permits: All foreign nationals are required to obtain permits to travel out of Asmara. Foreign nationals residing or working outside of Asmara also need a travel permit to go outside their normal area of work or residence. Applications are processed by the Department of Protocol in Asmara and Zonal Administration Offices (for foreign nationals living/working outside of Asmara). Australians should take these requirements into consideration when making travel plans as there may be delays in the issue of permits. If you do receive permission to travel outside of Asmara and encounter difficulties, the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular services, including emergency assistance, may be severely limited.
Piracy: There is a high risk of piracy in the coastal areas of Eritrea. There have been attacks by pirates against all forms of shipping in and around Eritrea's waters and the Gulf of Aden. Pirates have been using motherships to attack shipping further than 1,000 nautical miles (1,850km) from the coast of Somalia. All forms of shipping are attractive targets for Somali pirates, including commercial vessels, pleasure craft (yachts etc) and luxury cruise liners. We strongly advise Australians to maintain a high level of vigilance and to exercise extreme caution when anywhere near these waters.
According to statistics from the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC), in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia in the first quarter of 2010, 26 were vessels boarded, 18 vessels were fired upon and 11 vessels were hijacked, with 194 crew members taken hostage. See our advice to Australians travelling by sea for further information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.
Please refer to our travel bulletin for information about Aviation Safety and Security.
Eritrea is in an active volcanic and earthquake zone. Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
The rainy season runs from June to September. Unpaved roads in the western lowlands may become impassable.
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. The economy in Eritrea is cash-based and there are no ATMs.
You must declare all foreign currency brought into Eritrea. While there is no limit on the amount that can be brought in, you may be asked to prove that you have the funds declared. On departure, you must prove that any missing foreign currency was exchanged at a branch of the state foreign currency exchange, Himbol. Failure to comply can result in prosecution.
It is illegal to exchange money anywhere other than at a Himbol branch.
It is illegal to try to use hard foreign currency in Eritrea.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
For general information and tips on travelling with children, see our Travelling Parents brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas, we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Eritrea, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for drug offences are severe and include long prison sentences.
Homosexual acts are illegal.
Serious crimes may attract the death penalty. Serious crimes may also attract corporal punishment.
Taking photographs of government buildings and military installations is not allowed.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
There are strict standards of dress and behaviour in Eritrea and you should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.
Eritrea does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/Eritrean dual nationals who are arrested or detained.
Australian males who hold Eritrean citizenship may be required to undertake military service upon their return to Eritrea. Prior to travel, Eritrean/Australian dual nationals should seek advice from the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Eritrea.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Eritrea for the most up-to-date information.
Exit permits are required to leave Eritrea. Obtaining these permits can be time consuming, can delay travel plans or can even be denied in some circumstances. The Australian Government cannot influence the Eritrean Immigration Department to issue exit permits if problems are encountered.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 has spread throughout the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides useful information for individuals and travellers on its website. For further information and advice to Australians, including on possible quarantine measures overseas, see our travel bulletin on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while travelling overseas.
Medical facilities in Eritrea are extremely limited, particularly outside Asmara. Medicines are often unavailable and can be extremely expensive. You should carry a comprehensive medical pack if you travel away from large towns. In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation (at considerable expense) to a destination with appropriate facilities would be necessary.
It may take some time to adjust to the high altitude and low oxygen levels of Asmara and surrounds. If you suffer from heart ailments or high blood pressure, it is recommended you seek medical advice prior to travelling to this area.
Malaria occurs widely and throughout the year in Eritrea. Other insect-borne diseases (including dengue fever and filariasis) are also a risk to travellers. We encourage you to take prophylaxis against malaria and take measures to avoid insect bites including using insect repellent at all times.
Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, cholera, hepatitis, schistosomiasis, meningococcal disease and tuberculosis) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Eritrean authorities have not always informed the relevant embassy when foreign nationals need consular assistance. You should include this in your considerations before travelling.
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Eritrea. You can obtain consular assistance from the nearest Australian High Commission which is in Kenya:
Australian High Commission
Riverside Drive (400 metres off Chiromo Road)
Nairobi KENYA
Telephone: (254 20) 427 7100
Facsimile: (254 20) 427 7139
Website: www.kenya.highcommission.gov.au
If you are travelling to Eritrea, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the above mission, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
