Eritrea

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Eritrea, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial 

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS 

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws 

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2. 

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Eritrea, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120. 

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Eritrea. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance. 

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Eritrea at 24 out of 100 (157th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e.  corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.   

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on ERITREA may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AS OF NOVEMBER 11, AUTHORITIES IN ERITREA HAVE MAINTAINED AN INDEFINITE NATIONWIDE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER AS PART OF THE NATION'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19).  THE EXTENDED STAY-AT-HOME MEAURE, ENACTED APRIL 22, REQUIRES ALL RESIDENTS TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES, EXCEPT TO OBTAIN ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS OR TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT. ONLY TWO MEMBERS OF A HOUSEHOLD MAY EXIT THE HOME AT ANY ONE TIME PER DAY. SECURITY AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING POLICE AND NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUPS, WILL ASSIST IN ENFORCING THE ORDER. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN ERITREA ARE POSSIBLE IN THE COMING WEEKS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Eritrea on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here.

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic. 

The threat of civil unrest in Eritrea is moderate. Protests rarely occur in Eritrea and seldom devolve into violence. However, violent unrest has previously broken out when military conscripts have attempted to escape during their transit through the capital. Soldiers in Asmara have opened fire on runaway conscripts and sympathetic civilians on at least one occasion.

Crime generally poses a low threat in Eritrea. Criminal activity is most prevalent in urban locations. Nonviolent crime poses a low threat to foreign nationals, expatriates, and local staff.

Crimes against foreign nationals, expatriates, and local staff are more likely to escalate late at night or if the victim attempts to resist. Criminals often act alone or in groups. Scams pose a low threat to foreign nationals in Eritrea. 

Overall, the threat of violent crime in Eritrea is moderate; foreign nationals are sometimes targeted by criminals. Violent crime, including robbery, assault, vehicle break-ins, and banditry, poses the greatest threat along border areas and the coast north of Massawa. Criminals in Eritrea may use force if a victim resists; do not resist. 

Gender-based violence and/or discrimination poses a high threat to foreign nationals, expatriates, and local staff in Eritrea. Women walking alone at late hours are vulnerable to attacks.

Anti-LGBT violence may occur in Eritrea. Eritrean law criminalizes consensual same-sex activity; harassment and refusal to serve is common. For instance, foreign male tourists have reported that hotel staff in different cities prevent men from sharing a room. 

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Convictions for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs, result in long prison sentences and heavy fines. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. 

U.S.-Eritrean Dual Nationals: Eritrea does not recognize dual nationality. Dual U.S. - Eritrean citizens are considered Eritrean nationals by the Eritrean authorities. This severely limits our ability to provide consular services.

Photography: Exercise caution when taking photographs in Eritrea. Individuals taking photos of military or government installations can face a warning, harassment, confiscation of the phone/camera, arrest, detention, or interrogation. Do not take photos of Eritreans without their permission.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. Eritrean law enforcement officials routinely block access to foreign nationals in detention. The U.S. Embassy may not receive notification or be allowed access to you if you are detained. You may ask your family members to contact the Embassy on your behalf. 

LGBTI Travelers:Consensual same-sex sexual activity is punishable by ten days to three years incarceration. Antidiscrimination laws relating to LGBTI persons do not exist. There are no known LGBTI organizations in the country. Hotels do not allow two females or two males to share one room unless it has separate beds.