Relationship dossier
Eritrea
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Relationship assessment
Relations strained by Netherlands action over Eritrean diaspora tax collection
Eritrea toward Kingdom of the Netherlands
-15The Eritrean government’s collection of a diaspora tax from Eritreans in the Netherlands, amid Dutch concerns about pressure on the diaspora, became a bilateral point of friction.
Kingdom of the Netherlands toward Eritrea
-20In 2018, the Dutch government declared an Eritrean diplomat persona non grata amid concerns about Eritrean diaspora tax collection and pressure on Eritreans in the Netherlands.
Overall relationship
-15The relationship has been marked by a concrete diplomatic dispute over Eritrean diaspora tax collection and alleged pressure on Eritreans in the Netherlands. The Netherlands’ 2018 expulsion of an Eritrean diplomat illustrates the resulting tension; the scope of other sustained bilateral cooperation is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Relations have included friction over the Eritrean government’s collection of a diaspora tax from Eritreans in the Netherlands and concerns about pressure on the diaspora. The Netherlands responded by declaring an Eritrean diplomat persona non grata in 2018. These issues indicate strained relations, though the scope of broader bilateral cooperation is unclear.
Areas of tension
- Eritrean diaspora tax collection in the Netherlands and concerns about pressure on the diaspora
Key developments
The Netherlands declared an Eritrean diplomat persona non grata amid concerns about diaspora tax collection and pressure on Eritreans in the country.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of Eritrean government involvement in collecting the diaspora tax in the Netherlands is unclear.
- The scope of bilateral cooperation beyond the reported diplomatic dispute is unclear.