Eritrea will not backtrack on its demand for the U.S. Agency for International Development to close down its operations in the country. National development minister Woldai Futur said "the decision is irreversible," reiterating that the government is "uncomfortable with the operations of the USAID office in Asmara." Futur refused to explain why the state finds USAID?s activities disagreeable but clarified that the country is not refusing all development assistance from Washington. The government, he insisted, wants to strengthen its ties with the U.S. and hopes that the "the departure of USAID would not result in the stoppage of emergency assistance and development assistance to Eritrea." (Source: Eritrea rejects US appeals to reverse ban on USAID/Agence France-Presse; Eritea wants American help despite asking USAID to go/Reuters)
