Thank you, Mr. President,

We would like to thank you for the oral update.

The human rights situation in Eritrea requires continuous international scrutiny and monitoring. Albania is concerned with the lack of improvement in the situation of human rights in Eritrea, where the authorities continue to disregard basic rights, including freedom of opinion, religion, and expression.

Although there have been significant withdrawals of Eritrean troops from northern Ethiopia, these forces remained in parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region where they continued to commit serious violations, including widespread sexual violence and extrajudicial executions, and blocked humanitarian aid from reaching areas under their control.

We urge Eritrea to withdraw its forces from Ethiopian territory immediately and to investigate all allegations of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by Eritrean forces in northern Ethiopia, including against Eritrean and Ethiopian civilians and refugees.

The oppressive environment in Eritrea has forced many to flee and seek refuge abroad. We are worried about the high number of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in East Africa and asylum seekers globally. We condemn the attempts to silence dissent abroad, including by punishing family members who remain in Eritrea.

We also call upon the Government of Eritrea to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief, to guarantee the exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and to free all those who have been arbitrarily detained on the basis of their region or belief, or political views.

To conclude, Albania reiterates its full support for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur.

Thank you.