A/HRC/41/14 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-second session from 21 January to 1 February 2019. The review of Eritrea was held at the 12th meeting, on 28 January 2019. The delegation of Eritrea was headed by Ambassador, Tesfamichael Gerhatu. At its 17th meeting, held on 31 January 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on Eritrea. 2. On 15 January 2019, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Eritrea: Bahamas, Bangladesh and Rwanda. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Eritrea: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/ERI/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/ERI/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/ERI/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Angola, Belgium, Germany, Portugal on behalf of the Group of Friends on national implementation, reporting and follow-up, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Eritrea through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation stated that Eritrea had emanated from a liberation struggle for human and people’s rights, and the dignity of every citizen was central to nation-building. Unfortunately, in the past two decades the regional tension, exacerbated by external existential threats, had had a detrimental effect on the efforts of the country to ensure a dignified life for every Eritrean. 6. The transitional codes and the 178 proclamations and 125 legal notices, as well as six regional governance structures and the elected regional and local assemblies, continued to serve as an important basis for exercising basic rights and participating in public affairs. 7. Eritrea had worked to maximize the implementation of recommendations from the previous review cycle. Unfortunately, those efforts had been overshadowed by the mandates of the Commission of Inquiry and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, which served ulterior political motives with no dividend for the protection of human rights and negated the ideals of the universal periodic review mechanism. Those mandates had lost their credibility. 8. The universal periodic review intersectoral National Coordinating Body had mainstreamed the recommendations and coordinated and monitored their implementation through the Framework for Action (2015–2018). Eighty recommendations out of the 92 supported recommendations had been fully implemented and the remaining 12 recommendations had been partially implemented. More would be done in the future through a new national development plan. 9. The National Indicative Development Plan, 2014–2018, had focused on accelerating socioeconomic progress and eradicating poverty. Significant investment had been made in advancing socioeconomic progress and bridging the development gap by focusing on 2