Eritrean Embassy in UK hosted presentations on human rights impact on Eritrea

By Eritrea Embassy Media

The Embassy of the State of Eritrea to the United Kingdom & Ireland hosted a reception event of presentation by Mr. Todd Romaine, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility of Nevsun and Mr. Lloyd Lipsett, an international human rights lawyer on the human rights impact on Eritrea and particularly the Bisha mine.

The event was attended by Diplomats, members of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Investors and Media . The reception was opened by H.E. Estifanos Habtemariam, Eritrean Ambassador to United Kingdom, outlining the achievements as well as challenges of Eritrea in his welcoming speech.

Mr. Romaine elaborated on the positive endorsements by the Eritrean government of provide adequate protection for the workers including the local communities by forming constructive dialogue with government officials, the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers and employees of the Bisha mine.

Mr. Romaine also admired the Eritrean government's determination to utilize Nevsun in involving mining companies in the advancement of local communities in accordance with national development priorities. In his report Mr. Lipsett applauded the Eritrean government's unique enthusiasm in continuing the human rights impact assessment.

He also stated that in the follow up assessment audit the six recommendations mentioned were already undertaken by the government and Nevsun to address and improve the issues of concern.

The presentation highlighted the extremely flawed methodology conducted by the Commission of Inquiries (COI Eritrea) on their report on Eritrea. It has been confirmed by Nevsun and third parties that the Eritrean government had already taken steps to ensure the safety and integrity of the mining employees by hiring Colorado School of Mines to assist with the development of mining laws.

But, what is even more interesting is that Nevsun and Mr. Lipsett contacted the Commission of Inquiries on numerous occasions to provide the assessments they've conducted as well as the interviews of employees from Bisha. There was no response

During the final remarks Ms. Ruby Sandu, Business & Human Rights Lawyer, stressed on the importance of setting a benchmark for future mining operations as a precedence of corporate social responsibility corporations must undertake.

Photos are courtesy of the Eritrean Embassy Media