Administrative reform in Eritrea

In: Cahiers africains d'administration publique: revue semestrielle = African administrative studies = Dirāsāt ifrīqīya fi-'l-idāra, Heft 51, S. 75-96

Abstract

This paper describes and analyses the on-going reform programmes of the new nation of Eritrea with special focus on the context, content, and results of the reform. The context of the reform shows that the Eritrean reform has been initiated to reverse the negative and undesirable socio-economic environment, over-centralized administrative system, and demoralized civil service inherited from the Ethiopian regimes. The content of the reforms has focused on the formulation of macro-policy, the creation of effective organizations, the streamlining of the civil service, salary raises, training, and the adoption of a new constitution. The results of the reform show the newness of the Eritrean reform. Thus, it is premature to access impacts. Eritrea became a modern nation-state in 1991, after a prolonged struggle with Ethiopia lasting almost thirty years (1962-1991). This study attempts to assess the Eritrean administrative reform efforts to students of public administration. (...) Since this study is a first effort to describe and document the on-going reform experience of a six-year old nation, the reader should expect a number of limitations. These limitations were due to the dearth of published materials on the reform activities of Eritrea. The paper is divided into four sections: a) the context of the reform; b) the content of the reform; c) the results of the reform; d) some conclusions. (Cah afr admin publique/DÜI; gekürzt)