Executive/Presidential Regulations

These Regulations are published as a consultation draft and do not establish or dissolve a Ministry before final issuance and publication.

A person may submit written observations to the Office of the President in the manner and by the closing date stated in the accompanying public notice.

The President shall consider the consultation record and shall consult the Civil Service Administration on a material structural change before final issuance.

The objects of these Regulations are to establish a coherent ministerial structure, allocate ordinary executive business, reduce overlap and make responsibility publicly ascertainable.

The Regulations also establish common requirements for legality, service delivery, coordination, transparency, digital administration, fiscal discipline and transition.

In these Regulations, “Constitution” means the Constitution of Eritrea 1997; “Civil Service Administration” means the institution established by Article 57 and includes the institution described as the Public Service Administration in Article 42(13); “Ministry” means a Ministry established under Regulation 9; and “statutory function” means a power or duty conferred or imposed by an Act, Proclamation, Regulation or other law.

A reference to a function assigned by law means that the function may be exercised only by the person, procedure and conditions provided in the governing law.

These Regulations organize the Executive and shall be interpreted consistently with the Constitution and every applicable Act.

A portfolio description does not, by itself, confer authority to tax, appropriate, borrow, arrest, search, detain, prosecute, adjudicate, expropriate, license, impose a penalty, compel conduct or restrict a constitutional right.

A statutory function remains vested in the person or institution designated by law unless transferred under lawful authority.

Nothing in these Regulations permits a Ministry to direct the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission, the Auditor-General, the National Bank, the Civil Service Administration, the Electoral Commission, the Advocate-General or another independent institution in the exercise of a protected function.

Ministries shall be organized around coherent public purposes, clear accountability and services understandable to the public.

Duplication shall be removed through a designated lead Ministry, written cooperation arrangements and shared professional and digital services.

Policy making, service delivery, commercial operation and independent regulation shall be separated where their combination creates conflict, unfairness or risk.

Organization shall be fiscally realistic, merit based, regionally accessible, technologically capable and no larger than necessary for effective government.

The President records that the consultation required by Article 42(13) was conducted with the Civil Service Administration before this consultation draft was issued.

The consultation addressed organizational necessity, mandates, staffing, merit administration, affordability, implementation sequence, continuity of service and treatment of affected civil servants.

The Office of the President shall preserve the consultation record and publish a non-confidential summary with the final Regulations.

The establishment, organization and dissolution of Ministries under these Regulations are acts of executive organization under Article 42(13).

These Regulations shall not be construed as an Act of the National Assembly or as a substitute for legislation required by the Constitution.

Where implementation requires an appropriation, tax, statutory regulator, coercive power, offence, compulsory acquisition, public borrowing, alteration of a legal right or transfer of a function fixed by an Act, the responsible Minister shall submit an appropriate legislative or budget proposal through the President.

Upon final issuance and commencement of these Regulations, the Ministries specified in Regulations 10 to 27 are established for the good governance of Eritrea.

Each Ministry has the mandate stated in its establishing Regulation, subject to the Constitution, Acts, appropriations and the common requirements of these Regulations.

The name of a Ministry describes an administrative portfolio and does not enlarge any statutory power.

The Ministry shall lead national policy for sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, and productive rural livelihoods.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall advise on national defense policy and administer a small, professional and politically neutral defense force under the Constitution and civilian authority.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall secure inclusive, equitable and high-quality learning and develop the knowledge and skills required for democratic citizenship and economic renewal.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall lead policy for reliable and affordable energy and for transparent, safe and environmentally responsible development of mineral resources.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall protect public money and lead fiscal policy, budgeting, Treasury operations, revenue policy and sustainable public financing.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall secure sustainable use of Eritrea's marine living resources and develop fisheries, aquaculture and coastal livelihoods as responsible pillars of the blue economy.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall conduct Eritrea's diplomacy and consular relations and build lawful, constructive relations with neighboring states, Africa, international organizations and Eritreans abroad.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall lead public-health policy and steward an accessible, safe, equitable and resilient health system.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall ensure that official information is accurate, timely, accessible and verifiable and that government communicates as a servant accountable to the public.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall support lawful executive government, coherent legislation, law reform and public access to justice while safeguarding judicial and prosecutorial independence.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall promote decent work, productive employment, safe workplaces and a fair and fiscally sustainable system of social protection.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall administer land and water fairly and transparently and protect the environment, biodiversity and climate resilience for present and future generations.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall protect civil peace and rights, administer lawful civil and migration services, coordinate emergency management and strengthen democratic regional and local government.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall lead long-term national planning, cross-government policy coordination, delivery monitoring, evaluation and a professionally independent national statistical system.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall plan, procure, construct and maintain public infrastructure and support safe, affordable and employment-generating development of housing and the built environment.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall develop responsible tourism and protect Eritrea's cultural, historical and natural heritage as sources of identity, learning, employment and international exchange.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall build open and competitive markets, productive enterprise, manufacturing, exports and responsible domestic and international investment.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

The Ministry shall lead safe, connected and competitive transport and communications systems and the digital transformation of government and the economy.

In carrying out its mandate, the Ministry shall—

The following institutional boundaries apply—

Each Ministry is headed by the Minister appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly in accordance with Article 42(7).

The Minister is politically responsible for lawful policy direction, performance, integrity and stewardship of the Ministry and remains individually accountable to the President under Article 47.

A Minister shall not direct an official to act unlawfully, decide a protected professional matter for partisan reasons or conceal information required by law.

Each Ministry shall have a Permanent Secretary or equivalent principal administrative officer appointed under applicable civil-service law.

The Permanent Secretary is responsible for lawful administration, personnel, finance, records, procurement, internal control, continuity and implementation of lawful ministerial policy.

Appointments, promotions, discipline and separation of civil servants remain subject to the constitutional functions of the Civil Service Administration and applicable legislation.

Within ninety days after final issuance, each Minister shall submit a proposed internal organization to the President and the Civil Service Administration.

A proposal shall identify each department, its purpose, functions, staffing, reporting line, location, cost, service obligations and statutory basis.

No department whose establishment is reserved to the President by Article 42(13) shall be treated as established merely by a Ministry circular, staffing chart or budget submission.

Temporary teams and project units may be created within an approved establishment but shall not exercise an unassigned statutory function or continue beyond their approved term.

Each Ministry shall prepare a five-year strategic plan and an annual implementation plan aligned with the national budget and national development plan.

Each plan shall state measurable outcomes, principal programmes, responsible units, workforce needs, fiscal requirements, legal dependencies, risks and public reporting dates.

A Ministry shall revise a plan when appropriations or lawful authority do not support the proposed activity.

Each Ministry shall publish a complete register of the services it provides, the responsible office, legal requirements, documents, fees, processing times, review procedure and complaint channel.

A service shall be designed to minimize visits, queues, duplicate documents and referrals among offices and shall be available electronically as far as law, access, security and practical conditions permit.

A Ministry shall provide reasonable non-digital and assisted access so that disability, poverty, location, language or lack of connectivity does not exclude a person.

Performance against service standards shall be measured and published at least quarterly.

Ministries shall use common government platforms, data standards, identity services, payment systems, registers and cybersecurity controls designated under lawful government-wide policy.

A Ministry shall not build a duplicative system without documented necessity, interoperability review, life-cycle costing and approval through the applicable digital-governance process.

Personal data shall be collected only for a lawful and necessary purpose, protected against unauthorized use and retained only as permitted by law.

Each Ministry shall maintain an accessible website containing its mandate, organization, leadership, laws, regulations, policies, plans, budget information, procurement notices, contracts required to be disclosed, reports, consultations and contact information.

A Ministry developing a major policy or legislative proposal shall publish a clear explanation, allow a reasonable opportunity for comment and publish a response to material issues unless urgency or law justifies a different process.

An exception to publication shall be interpreted narrowly and shall not conceal illegality, waste, abuse, environmental harm or a serious threat to public health or safety.

The Ministry whose mandate most directly concerns a matter is the lead Ministry and shall convene affected Ministries early enough for meaningful participation.

A written cooperation arrangement shall define responsibilities, information exchange, decision procedure, cost allocation, dispute escalation and public accountability where two or more Ministries share a continuing function.

A jurisdictional dispute that Ministers cannot resolve shall be submitted promptly to the President and shall not be used to suspend an urgent lawful service.

Each Ministry shall maintain access to qualified legal advice and a register of the constitutional, statutory and regulatory authority governing its functions.

Before adopting a measure affecting rights, obligations, expenditure, licences, property or enforcement, the Ministry shall identify its legal basis and assess necessity, proportionality, procedural fairness and available review.

A Ministry shall suspend and correct an administrative practice found to lack legal authority and shall notify affected persons of an available remedy.

A Ministry may incur expenditure or commitment only within an appropriation and applicable public-finance and procurement law.

Creation of a Ministry, department, post or programme under these Regulations does not itself appropriate money, create a tax, authorize borrowing or guarantee a debt.

Ministries shall use competitive and transparent procurement, disclose conflicts of interest and maintain complete auditable records.

The Civil Service Administration and each Ministry shall develop merit-based staffing plans that favor redeployment, training and shared services before unnecessary recruitment.

Every Ministry shall enforce applicable codes on impartiality, conflict of interest, gifts, misuse of information, political neutrality and protection of public property.

A civil servant shall have a protected channel to report unlawful instruction, corruption, gross waste or serious danger and shall not be punished for a good-faith report.

Ministries shall determine which services can be delivered effectively through regional or local offices, shared service centers, mobile teams or secure electronic channels.

Decentralization shall be accompanied by a clear legal mandate, adequate resources, professional standards, data responsibilities and accountability.

A Ministry shall not maintain a regional office where a shared or digital arrangement provides equal or better lawful service at materially lower cost.

An agency or body established by legislation retains the status, powers, governance and independence given by that legislation.

Administrative association with a Ministry permits coordination and budget communication but not direction of an adjudicatory, audit, monetary, electoral, prosecutorial, statistical or regulatory decision protected by law.

The responsible Minister may require lawful performance and financial reporting but shall not demand information whose disclosure would violate independence, privacy, professional privilege or an active investigation.

Within thirty days after final issuance, the Office of the President shall publish a phased implementation plan prepared with the Civil Service Administration, Finance and Treasury, Planning and National Development and affected Ministries.

The plan shall identify legal dependencies, staffing decisions, budgets, records, property, information systems, service continuity, public communication, risks and completion dates.

The plan shall prioritize uninterrupted health, education, food, water, public-safety, border, revenue, payment and other essential services.

The President may direct the transfer of non-statutory administrative business, personnel, records and property necessary to implement these Regulations, subject to law, appropriations and civil-service protections.

A transfer direction shall be written, published, identify the receiving and former authority, specify the effective date and preserve access to records and pending services.

Transfer of statutory authority requires the legal instrument authorized by the governing Act and shall not be inferred from a change of Ministry name.

No civil servant acquires or loses employment merely because a Ministry is renamed, merged, established or dissolved.

Personnel decisions shall be made under applicable civil-service law after consultation with the Civil Service Administration and shall respect merit, accrued rights, fair procedure and operational need.

Affected employees shall receive timely written information concerning placement, reporting line, location, duties, training, review and appeal.

Redundant management layers and inactive posts shall be reviewed before new recruitment, while scarce professional capacity shall be protected and developed.

Every transferring institution shall inventory public property, contracts, records, data, credentials, software, licences and pending obligations before transfer.

Records shall remain authentic, searchable, secure and accessible to the receiving authority and to persons entitled to access them.

No record, dataset or public asset may be destroyed, concealed, privatized or removed because of reorganization except under lawful records-disposal procedures.

A lawful application, licence, contract, proceeding, payment, investigation or administrative review pending at commencement continues without loss of priority merely because responsibility changes.

The receiving Ministry shall notify affected persons of the new responsible office and shall honor elapsed processing time.

An existing lawful regulation, delegation or administrative decision continues until amended or revoked by competent authority, unless inconsistent with the Constitution or a later Act.

Finance and Treasury shall identify the fiscal effect of each transfer and propose any appropriation or lawful budget adjustment required for implementation.

No unspent balance, revenue, debt, guarantee or contractual commitment transfers by implication.

The Auditor-General shall receive the transfer inventory and financial reconciliation required by applicable law.

The Office of the President shall maintain a free and authoritative public register of Ministries, departments, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, mandates, principal offices, contact information and effective organization instruments.

The register shall state the legal basis and commencement date of every establishment, transfer, merger, renaming and dissolution.

A discrepancy between the register and a published legal instrument shall be corrected promptly, and the legal instrument prevails.

The President, in consultation with the Civil Service Administration, shall review implementation six months and eighteen months after commencement.

The review shall consider service performance, cost, staffing, duplication, coordination, legality, regional access, digital delivery and public feedback.

A non-confidential report and any proposed corrective instrument shall be published for public consideration.

The President may issue written administrative directions necessary to coordinate implementation of these Regulations, but a direction shall not amend these Regulations or create a statutory power.

A Minister may issue internal guidance within the Ministry's lawful mandate, but guidance shall not bind the public as law, impose an unauthorized requirement or override an Act or Regulation.

Directions and guidance of general public effect shall be published promptly.

A Ministry or department reserved to presidential authority shall be established, materially reorganized or dissolved only by a published presidential instrument made under Article 42(13) after the constitutionally required consultation.

Before a material amendment, the President shall obtain advice on staffing, affordability, continuity, legal consequences and service impact and shall ordinarily invite public comment.

An instrument shall include necessary savings, transfer and commencement provisions and shall identify any legislation requiring consequential amendment.

These Regulations are subordinate to the Constitution and Acts and shall not be applied to displace a contrary statutory allocation.

If a Ministry name in an existing law differs from the name used here, the statutory function remains with the legally designated authority until lawfully transferred.

The Office of the President and the Ministry responsible for justice shall prepare consequential legislative proposals for consideration by the National Assembly.

If a provision or application of these Regulations is held invalid, the remaining provisions and applications continue to the greatest extent consistent with the Constitution and law.

A finding that a particular statutory function was not lawfully transferred does not invalidate the establishment of a Ministry or its other lawful administrative functions.

The final Regulations shall be published in the Official Gazette and on the authoritative public legislation website in accessible and searchable form.

The final Regulations come into force on the date stated in the instrument of final issuance, which shall allow sufficient time for lawful and orderly transition.

The Office of the President shall publish, with the final text, a consultation report, the Civil Service Administration consultation summary and an implementation timetable.

These Regulations are published for public discussion and have no legal effect before final issuance and publication.

Written observations may be submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat in the manner and by the closing date specified in the accompanying notice.

The President shall consider the consultation record before issuing the final Regulations.

These Regulations establish a clear, disciplined and constitutional system for Cabinet deliberation, decision, implementation and accountability.

They also prescribe standards of ministerial conduct and provide for an impartial and professional Cabinet Secretariat.

In these Regulations, “Cabinet” means the ministerial Cabinet established by Article 46; “Cabinet Committee” means a committee established under Regulation 31; “Cabinet decision” means a determination recorded under Regulation 18; “Cabinet paper” includes a memorandum, minute, brief, annex, presentation or other material submitted for Cabinet business; “Minister” means a Minister appointed under Article 42(7); “President” means the President of the State of Eritrea; and “Secretariat” means the Cabinet Secretariat in the Office of the President.

A reference to law includes the Constitution, an Act, a Proclamation and valid subordinate legislation, as applicable.

Cabinet assists the President in the functions stated in Article 46(3), and these Regulations do not create an executive authority independent of the President.

A Cabinet decision cannot enact a law, appropriate money, impose a tax, transfer a statutory function, create an offence, authorize public borrowing or restrict a constitutional right unless the Constitution or an Act supplies the required authority.

These Regulations shall not be applied to direct or interfere with the National Assembly, Judiciary, Judicial Service Commission, Auditor-General, National Bank, Civil Service Administration, Electoral Commission, Advocate-General or another independent institution in a protected function.

If a Cabinet proposal requires legislation or appropriation, Cabinet may approve its submission but may not treat the proposal as law or available public money before completion of the constitutional process.

Cabinet consists of the President and Ministers appointed in accordance with the Constitution.

Only the President and Ministers may take part in a Cabinet determination.

The Secretary to the Cabinet attends in an official capacity but is not a member and does not participate in a determination.

The President presides over every Cabinet meeting as required by Article 46(1), settles the agenda, guides deliberation and records the final determination after receiving Cabinet's assistance.

A gathering of Ministers not presided over by the President is not a Cabinet meeting and may not purport to make a Cabinet decision.

The President may require further analysis, consultation, revision or reconsideration before making or confirming a determination.

A Minister is individually accountable to the President for the lawful and effective administration of the Minister's portfolio.

Ministers are collectively accountable to the National Assembly, through the President, for the administration of Cabinet work under Article 47.

Individual responsibility does not excuse a Minister from implementing a lawful Cabinet decision, and collective responsibility does not excuse unlawful personal conduct or maladministration within a Ministry.

A Minister shall attend every Cabinet meeting unless excused by the President for good cause and shall review the agenda and papers before the meeting.

A Minister unable to attend shall notify the Secretary promptly, state the reason and provide any relevant written view through a secure channel.

Foreign travel and other official commitments shall be arranged, as far as practicable, so that Cabinet can meet and essential portfolios remain continuously represented.

The President may invite a public officer, independent officeholder, technical expert or other person to attend for a specified item when the person's contribution is necessary.

An invitee shall receive only the material necessary for that item, shall disclose relevant interests and shall withdraw when requested.

An invitee does not participate in a Cabinet determination and is bound by the applicable duties of confidentiality and record protection.

Upon appointment, a Minister shall sign an undertaking to comply with the Constitution, applicable law, these Regulations and lawful Cabinet decisions.

The undertaking is a condition of Cabinet conduct and is not an oath created in substitution for an oath prescribed by the Constitution or an Act.

Cabinet shall meet on a regular schedule approved by the President and sufficiently often to direct, supervise and coordinate government affairs.

The Secretary shall circulate an annual meeting calendar and update it when the President changes the schedule.

The President may convene a special meeting when urgent or exceptional business cannot await the next ordinary meeting.

Cabinet may meet through a secure remote system when physical attendance is impracticable and identity, confidentiality, participation and record integrity can be protected.

A remote meeting remains subject to the same quorum, recusal, record and decision requirements as an in-person meeting.

The Secretary shall circulate notice, the proposed agenda and Cabinet papers at least five working days before an ordinary meeting unless the President permits a shorter period for stated reasons.

The agenda shall distinguish matters for decision, discussion, noting, information and oral briefing.

A Minister may request an item through the Secretary, but the President determines whether and when it is placed on the agenda.

The quorum is the President and more than one-half of the serving Ministers who are not recused from the meeting as a whole.

A vacant office is excluded when calculating the number of serving Ministers.

Cabinet shall not make a determination without a quorum, but lack of quorum does not suspend a power that the Constitution or an Act confers personally on the President.

The President shall permit relevant Ministers a reasonable opportunity to state their views and shall encourage candid, concise and evidence-based discussion.

Seniority, military rank, party office, personal association or control of a security institution gives no Minister a superior vote or right to silence another Minister.

Personal attack, intimidation, retaliation and deliberate withholding of material information are inconsistent with Cabinet responsibility.

Cabinet shall seek consensus through reasoned deliberation, identification of common ground and resolution of legal, fiscal and implementation concerns.

A Minister may request that a material objection or alternative be summarized in the confidential record before the President determines the matter.

A formal vote may be taken to inform the President, but it is advisory and does not displace the President's constitutional responsibility.

After deliberation, the President shall state the determination, including any conditions, lead Minister, required consultation, legal or budget dependency, reporting date and public-communication instruction.

The Secretary shall read back or otherwise verify the operative terms before the meeting moves to the next item.

Only the determination recorded and approved under Regulation 21 constitutes the Cabinet decision; a Cabinet paper or discussion does not.

The President may adjourn a meeting or defer an item for further evidence, consultation, drafting, legal review or fiscal analysis.

The minutes shall record the reason for deferral and the action, responsible Minister and return date required before reconsideration.

A Minister seeking reconsideration shall identify a material change, error, legal concern, fiscal consequence or implementation difficulty that could alter the decision.

The President may authorize reconsideration and may suspend implementation to the extent necessary to avoid illegality or serious harm.

A request for reconsideration does not otherwise suspend a Cabinet decision.

The Secretary shall prepare an impartial record of attendance, recusals, matters considered, material alternatives, decisions, assigned actions and deadlines.

Minutes shall not attribute individual views unless the President directs, a Minister requests a material objection to be noted or attribution is necessary to record a conflict, recusal or assigned duty.

Draft minutes shall be submitted to the President promptly and confirmed at the next meeting or through another secure procedure approved by the President.

A clerical correction shall preserve the original record and an alteration affecting substance requires presidential confirmation and an audit trail.

The following matters shall ordinarily be submitted to Cabinet before presidential action or public commitment—

The President may refer another matter to Cabinet and may determine that a routine, delegated or purely administrative matter need not be submitted.

A sponsoring Minister shall submit a concise Cabinet memorandum in the form approved by the President on the recommendation of the Secretary.

The memorandum shall state the decision requested, material facts, evidence, alternatives, consultation, legal authority, rights effects, fiscal and economic consequences, implementation arrangements, risks, communication plan and monitoring indicators.

Material uncertainty, disagreement, adverse advice and an option rejected by the sponsoring Minister shall be disclosed fairly.

A paper shall identify confidential annexes separately and shall not classify material merely to avoid criticism or embarrassment.

The sponsoring Minister shall consult every Ministry whose mandate, resources, legislation, information or implementation responsibility is materially affected.

Consultation shall occur early enough to influence the proposal and shall not consist merely of circulating a completed paper immediately before submission.

The memorandum shall state the position of each affected Ministry and reproduce or fairly summarize an unresolved material disagreement.

The Secretary may return a paper that lacks required consultation.

A proposal involving law, rights, public power, institutional independence, a treaty, litigation risk or subordinate legislation shall receive written legal review before submission.

The review shall identify constitutional and statutory authority, required procedure, rights limitations, institutional competence, judicial-review risk, transitional provisions and any need for an Act of the National Assembly.

The Ministry responsible for justice and the Advocate-General shall perform only the respective functions assigned to them by law, and neither may displace the constitutional authority of the courts.

A serious unresolved legal objection shall be placed before Cabinet and shall not be omitted from the paper.

Finance and Treasury shall review a proposal having material revenue, expenditure, debt, guarantee, procurement, asset or fiscal-risk consequences.

Planning and National Development shall review a major policy or programme for consistency with national plans, measurable outcomes, delivery capacity and evaluation arrangements.

The responsible Ministry shall assess effects on competition, small enterprise, employment, prices, regions, vulnerable persons, the environment and administrative burden where material.

Cabinet approval does not supply an appropriation, and an unfunded proposal shall state that implementation depends on lawful budget authority.

A major policy, Bill or measure materially affecting rights, livelihoods, property, markets, regions or the environment shall ordinarily undergo proportionate public consultation before final Cabinet approval.

The consultation shall provide understandable information, reasonable time, accessible participation and a fair summary of material responses.

A decision to omit or shorten consultation shall state the urgency, confidentiality or other public-interest reason and shall be reviewed after the immediate need passes.

A complete paper shall reach the Secretariat at least seven working days before the meeting at which consideration is requested, unless the Secretary sets a longer period for complex business.

A late paper requires the President's permission and a written explanation of urgency, consultation completed and prejudice likely from delay.

Administrative delay, avoidable poor planning or a desire to prevent scrutiny does not constitute urgency.

An item not supported by a circulated paper shall be considered only with the President's permission where genuine urgency or sensitivity makes prior circulation impracticable.

The responsible Minister shall state the decision requested, authority, material facts, legal and fiscal implications and consultations completed.

Unless immediate determination is indispensable, Cabinet shall direct preparation of a written paper before final decision.

The Secretariat shall create a written record and obtain any missing review promptly after an emergency determination.

Sensitive security information shall be limited to what Cabinet needs and handled through secure procedures, but national-security classification shall not remove the requirement of legality, necessity, proportionality, fiscal control and record keeping.

An emergency proposal shall identify the legal authority, geographic and temporal scope, responsible command, civilian protection, reporting, review, termination and remedy arrangements.

A measure restricting constitutional rights shall be no broader or longer than strictly required and remains subject to the Constitution, legislation and judicial review.

Cabinet shall schedule review of every continuing emergency measure at stated intervals.

The President may establish a standing or temporary Cabinet Committee by written instrument stating its name, membership, chair, mandate, reporting line and duration.

A Committee shall improve detailed consideration, coordination or crisis response and shall not fragment Cabinet accountability.

The instrument and non-confidential mandate shall be published unless a lawful and compelling security reason requires limited disclosure.

A Cabinet Committee may examine, coordinate and recommend matters within its mandate.

A Committee determination has the effect specified by the President, but a matter reserved by these Regulations or by presidential direction to full Cabinet shall be referred to Cabinet.

A Committee may not exercise a statutory power vested in a Minister or independent institution unless lawfully delegated.

Regulations 9, 10, 13 to 21, 23 to 30 and 47 to 55 apply to a Cabinet Committee with necessary modifications.

The Committee chair performs the procedural functions assigned to the President, but the President retains authority to settle jurisdiction, require reconsideration or refer a matter to Cabinet.

The Secretariat shall service each Cabinet Committee and maintain its records within the Cabinet record system.

The Secretary or affected Permanent Secretaries may establish an officials' committee to prepare advice, coordinate implementation or resolve technical issues.

An officials' committee shall have a written mandate, responsible chair, timetable and reporting destination.

Officials may advise and coordinate but may not make a Cabinet decision or exercise a Minister's nondelegable statutory discretion.

A material disagreement among officials shall be stated, not concealed through an artificial consensus.

The Secretariat shall issue an authenticated decision minute promptly to each responsible Minister and authorized implementing official.

The minute shall state the decision, conditions, lead and supporting Ministries, legal and budget dependencies, deliverables, deadlines and reporting requirements.

No person shall implement a recollection, press report or draft minute that conflicts with the authenticated decision.

The lead Minister is accountable for implementation and shall convene supporting Ministries, resolve operational issues and report material risk or delay.

A supporting Minister shall provide the agreed information, personnel, approval or action within the specified time.

A Cabinet decision shall not be implemented through an unlawful direction, unappropriated expenditure or interference with an independent function.

The Secretariat shall maintain a secure action register recording every current decision, responsible institution, milestone, dependency, status and reporting date.

The Secretariat shall notify the President and responsible Minister of overdue or materially at-risk action and place persistent failure before Cabinet.

A public implementation summary shall be maintained for decisions whose disclosure is not lawfully restricted.

A major Cabinet decision shall contain measurable outcomes, baseline information, review dates and responsibility for monitoring and evaluation.

Planning and National Development shall provide government-wide performance analysis without altering professional findings for political convenience.

Cabinet shall amend, suspend or terminate a policy that evidence shows to be unlawful, ineffective, wasteful or disproportionately harmful.

A Minister who cannot implement a decision lawfully, within appropriation or by the required date shall notify the President and Secretary immediately.

The notice shall state the reason, consequence, mitigation and decision required and shall not wait until the deadline has expired.

Concealing failure, falsifying progress or shifting responsibility without authority constitutes serious ministerial misconduct.

Cabinet shall study a proposed Bill before the President presents it to the National Assembly under Article 42(15).

The submission shall include drafting instructions, the draft text, a constitutional and rights analysis, consultation report, fiscal statement, implementation plan and consequential amendments.

Cabinet approval authorizes submission through the President and does not enact the Bill or bind the National Assembly.

Cabinet shall not approve subordinate legislation unless the enabling Act and the authorized maker are identified.

A proposed instrument shall remain within delegated authority, follow required consultation and publication, and contain no tax, offence, coercive power or restriction beyond the enabling law.

The Cabinet decision shall distinguish policy approval from the later legal act of making and publishing the instrument by the competent authority.

Cabinet shall study and prepare the national budget for presentation by the President in accordance with Articles 32(3), 42(15) and 46(3)(b).

Finance and Treasury shall present fiscal assumptions, revenue, expenditure, debt, risks, ministry ceilings, major investments and consistency with national priorities.

A Minister shall disclose an unfunded commitment, arrear, guarantee, contingent liability or material fiscal risk within the Minister's portfolio.

Cabinet agreement to a budget proposal does not authorize expenditure before Assembly approval and lawful budget execution.

A proposal to negotiate or sign an international agreement shall identify the President's authority under Article 42(6), the subject, negotiating mandate, responsible delegation, fiscal exposure and domestic legal consequences.

Before signature or ratification, the responsible Minister shall identify whether National Assembly ratification under Article 32(4), implementing legislation, appropriation, reservation, declaration or publication is required.

Cabinet shall not treat international deposit or executive signature as a substitute for constitutional authorization or domestic legislation.

Foreign Affairs and Diaspora shall maintain the public treaty-status register required by the Government Ministries Organization Regulations.

A Minister shall act lawfully, honestly, diligently, impartially and for the public interest and shall uphold the Constitution and dignity of public office.

A Minister shall take responsibility for decisions, correct material error, give truthful information and cooperate with lawful oversight.

Public office shall not be used for personal, family, party, military, business or factional advantage.

A Minister may argue freely and candidly within Cabinet and may request reconsideration under Regulation 20.

After a lawful Cabinet decision, a Minister shall implement and publicly support it or seek the President's permission to abstain in exceptional circumstances.

A Minister who cannot in conscience remain collectively responsible shall tender resignation rather than secretly obstruct implementation or misrepresent the decision.

Collective responsibility does not require a Minister to conceal illegality, corruption, falsification or a serious threat to public safety.

A Minister shall protect Cabinet papers, deliberations and information whose confidentiality is necessary for candid decision making, national security, privacy, commercial fairness, legal privilege or another lawful public interest.

Confidentiality shall be limited in subject and duration and shall not be asserted merely to avoid embarrassment, scrutiny or political disagreement.

A Minister shall use protected reporting channels for suspected illegality or serious wrongdoing and may make another disclosure when protected or required by law.

Unauthorized disclosure and deliberate over-classification are both breaches of these Regulations.

A Minister shall identify and promptly disclose to the President and Secretary an actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict between public duty and a personal, family, financial, professional or close-associate interest.

The President shall determine appropriate management, including disclosure, recusal, non-receipt of papers, divestment, transfer of responsibility, blind management or another effective measure.

The declaration, management decision, absence from papers and withdrawal from deliberation shall be recorded.

A recused Minister shall not influence officials, colleagues or an outside person concerning the matter.

A Minister shall file with the designated ethics authority and the President a complete declaration of interests, significant assets, liabilities, beneficial ownerships, directorships, partnerships, trusts and qualifying interests of dependent family members as required by law or presidential code.

A declaration shall be made on appointment, annually, on material change and on leaving office.

Public disclosure shall follow governing legislation and shall balance transparency with legitimate privacy and security.

These Regulations do not create a criminal offence or substitute for financial-disclosure legislation.

A Minister shall not solicit or accept a gift, hospitality, service, discount, loan, travel or benefit that may influence, appear to influence or reward official action.

A permissible official gift shall be declared, recorded and treated as State property when required by law or applicable policy.

Sponsored travel requires prior approval, disclosure of the sponsor and purpose, and assurance that no improper obligation arises.

Cash and cash equivalents shall not be accepted.

A Minister shall use public money, staff, vehicles, premises, information and communication systems only for lawful public purposes.

Party-political and electoral activity shall be separated from State administration, and a civil servant shall not be compelled to perform partisan work.

Official communication may explain and defend government policy but shall not knowingly disseminate false information or target a person for lawful criticism.

A Minister shall not secure appointment, promotion, licence, contract, concession, benefit or regulatory advantage for a relative, associate, donor, party supporter or business interest except through a fair lawful process in which the Minister has no improper role.

A Minister shall not direct or pressure a civil servant, procurement official, regulator, police officer, prosecutor, auditor, judge or independent officeholder to favor or punish a person improperly.

An attempted improper influence shall be documented and reported through the appropriate lawful channel.

A Minister shall not use confidential or non-public information for personal advantage, securities dealing, land acquisition, business opportunity or benefit to another person.

Upon leaving office, a former Minister remains bound by lawful confidentiality, record-return and conflict restrictions.

A former Minister shall not retain Cabinet papers or exploit confidential knowledge to obtain an unfair private advantage.

A Minister who reasonably believes that a Cabinet member or senior official has engaged in illegality, corruption, gross waste, serious abuse of authority or conduct endangering the public shall report the matter promptly to the President and an institution legally competent to investigate.

If the allegation concerns the President, the Minister shall use the constitutionally competent oversight, investigative or judicial institution.

No person may retaliate against a good-faith report or interfere with lawful preservation of evidence.

The President shall designate a professionally qualified Secretary to the Cabinet within the Office of the President.

The Secretary is responsible directly to the President for the impartial administration of Cabinet procedure and is responsible to Cabinet collectively for accurate records and effective operation of the Cabinet system.

The Secretary shall serve without partisan preference and shall not alter advice, minutes or decisions to favor a Minister or faction.

The Secretariat shall manage the Cabinet calendar, agenda, papers, meetings, committees, decisions, action register, secure communications and institutional memory.

It shall test submissions for completeness, consultation, legal and fiscal review, clarity of decision requested and readiness for consideration without deciding the policy merits.

It shall advise the President and Ministers on these Regulations, train officials in Cabinet procedure and maintain standard templates and guidance.

It shall coordinate publication of authorized Cabinet decisions and implementation summaries.

The Cabinet record includes agendas, papers, annexes, declarations, attendance, minutes, decisions, action reports, committee records and authenticated communications.

Cabinet business shall be conducted through approved systems, and a substantive decision or direction given through another channel shall be captured promptly in the official record.

No Cabinet record may be destroyed, concealed, altered, removed or privately retained except under lawful records and archives procedures.

The Secretariat shall apply proportionate security controls based on assessed harm, need to know, identity verification, encryption, access logging and secure retention.

Classification shall state the responsible authority, reason and review date and shall be reviewed periodically for reduction or release.

Access shall be given where required for lawful implementation, audit, investigation, judicial process, legislative accountability or archives, subject to applicable safeguards.

A system shall preserve an audit trail of access, amendment, transmission and deletion.

Cabinet records are records of the State and shall be preserved as part of Eritrea's institutional memory.

The Secretariat shall transfer records of enduring value to the competent national archives under law while protecting legitimately restricted information.

A change of President, Minister or political administration does not authorize destruction, private removal or falsification of the Cabinet record.

Regulations governing access by a succeeding administration shall protect both continuity of government and the lawful confidentiality of prior deliberations.

The Secretariat shall maintain secure backup, disaster recovery, alternative meeting, succession of authorized custodians and emergency communication arrangements.

The arrangements shall be tested periodically and corrected after each exercise or incident.

A continuity arrangement shall preserve presidential control, Cabinet identity, quorum, record integrity and protection against impersonation or unauthorized decision.

A summons from the National Assembly or a committee under Article 47(2) shall be transmitted through the Office of the President promptly and without obstruction.

The Office shall coordinate attendance and necessary Cabinet information but shall not prevent the Assembly from questioning the summoned Minister concerning operation of the Ministry.

A Minister shall answer truthfully, correct a material error promptly and claim confidentiality only on a lawful and specifically stated ground.

Cabinet shall support full and regular reporting on execution of laws, expenditure of public money, implementation of national plans and administration of Ministries.

The President shall coordinate collective reporting, and each Minister remains responsible for accurate portfolio reporting.

A public report shall distinguish planned, approved, funded, commenced and completed action and shall not describe a proposal as an accomplished result.

After each meeting, the President or authorized spokesperson shall publish a timely and accurate statement of decisions suitable for public release.

The statement shall explain the decision, purpose, responsible Ministry, legal or budget dependency and expected implementation where disclosure is lawful.

Ministers shall not announce a Cabinet decision before authorized release or contradict the authenticated decision while purporting to speak for government.

Correction of material public error shall be prompt and as visible as the original communication.

Cabinet and Ministers shall comply with lawful court orders and shall provide assistance required to protect judicial independence under Article 48(4).

No Cabinet decision may obstruct the Auditor-General, an independent investigation, lawful evidence preservation or a remedy ordered by a competent authority.

Legal privilege and confidentiality may be asserted only by the competent authority and shall not be used to conceal wrongdoing.

The Secretary may issue forms, templates and procedural guidance consistent with these Regulations after approval by the President.

The President may issue written directions concerning Cabinet administration, but a direction shall not amend these Regulations, create legislation or excuse illegality.

Guidance of general application shall be published unless lawful confidentiality requires otherwise.

The President may authorize a temporary departure from a procedural requirement where strict compliance is impracticable because of genuine urgency, national security, disaster or technological failure.

The departure, reason, safeguards and steps for later compliance shall be recorded.

No departure may waive constitutional authority, statutory procedure, appropriation, quorum, conflict disclosure, record creation or judicial obligation.

Cabinet shall review a continuing departure at the earliest practicable meeting.

An alleged breach shall be assessed fairly, promptly and confidentially to the extent consistent with accountability and the rights of affected persons.

The President may seek independent legal, ethical, audit or investigative advice and shall refer suspected criminal or statutory misconduct to the competent authority.

A Minister shall receive notice of a material allegation and a fair opportunity to respond, except to the extent temporary confidentiality is necessary to preserve evidence or protect a person.

No internal Cabinet process shall displace the jurisdiction of a court, the National Assembly or an independent institution.

Depending on seriousness, the President may require advice, correction, apology, disclosure, recusal, repayment, training, reassignment, formal reprimand, resignation or removal under Article 42(17).

A consequence under these Regulations is administrative and political and does not create a criminal offence or civil penalty.

Referral for prosecution, recovery, discipline or other legal action shall occur only under the applicable law and competent procedure.

A remedy shall address institutional weakness and public harm as well as individual responsibility.

The Secretary shall review operation of these Regulations annually and report to the President on timeliness, paper quality, consultation, legal compliance, fiscal review, implementation, record security and recurring failures.

The President shall invite periodic views from Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, the Civil Service Administration, oversight institutions and the National Assembly on improvements affecting their constitutional relations.

A material proposed amendment shall ordinarily be published for consultation before issuance.

The final Regulations shall be published in the Official Gazette and on the authoritative public legislation website in accessible and searchable form.

They come into force on the date stated in the final instrument.

The Office of the President shall publish with the final Regulations a consultation report, implementation circular and standard Cabinet memorandum template.

These Regulations govern the internal administration of ministries and Executive Agencies and the manner in which they perform functions already conferred by the Constitution or an Assembly Act.

These Regulations do not confer legislative power upon the President, a Minister or an Executive Agency beyond authority granted by the Constitution or an Assembly Act.

A requirement under these Regulations shall be implemented only to the extent that it is consistent with superior law and the lawful budget.

The purposes of these Regulations relating to public-service access and delivery are to:

The purposes of these Regulations relating to coordination, safeguards and implementation are to:

These Regulations apply to every ministry, department and other institution forming part of the executive government and subject to direction or coordination by the President.

These Regulations do not direct the National Assembly, a court, the Electoral Commission, the Auditor General, the National Bank, an independent constitutional institution or another body protected from executive direction by an Assembly Act.

An institution excluded under paragraph 2 may voluntarily adopt compatible standards without surrendering its constitutional or statutory independence.

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions concerning executive institutions and responsibility have the meanings assigned to them:

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions concerning services, records and technology have the meanings assigned to them:

Implementation shall be guided by principles concerning legality, public service and access:

Implementation shall also be guided by principles concerning safeguards, technology and continuous improvement:

Within fourteen days after commencement, every Executive Agency shall designate a responsible office and a senior officer accountable for implementation.

The designation shall be published on the Agency’s website and communicated to the Office of the President and the Public Service Administration.

Within thirty days after commencement, every Executive Agency shall complete a verified inventory of:

An Agency shall not treat an administrative practice as a legal requirement unless it can identify the constitutional or statutory authority supporting it.

Within forty-five days after commencement, every Executive Agency shall approve and publish a modernization plan for compliance by 1 January 2027.

The plan shall identify services to be digitized, responsible persons, technical needs, testing periods, risks, budget requirements, public-access arrangements and measurable completion dates.

Priority shall be given to high-volume services, services producing long queues or repeated visits, essential services and services affecting trade, employment, travel, property, health and education.

Before converting a procedure into electronic form, an Executive Agency shall review whether every step, form, document, approval and physical appearance is necessary and authorized by law.

An Agency shall eliminate an unnecessary administrative step within its lawful authority and shall propose an amendment to the National Assembly where the step is required by an Assembly Act but appears obsolete or disproportionate.

A defective procedure shall not be preserved merely by placing it online.

The Office of the President, in consultation with the Cabinet, Public Service Administration and relevant technical institutions, shall coordinate implementation and issue non-legislative technical standards consistent with these Regulations.

Executive Agencies shall cooperate to prevent duplicate collection of the same information, subject to legality, necessity, privacy and security.

Coordination does not authorize one Agency to exercise a power legally assigned to another.

Not later than sixty days after commencement, every Executive Agency shall maintain an accessible, secure and regularly updated official website.

The website shall identify the Agency’s legal mandate, organizational structure, principal offices, contact information, responsible officials and available public services.

Information shall be presented in clear language and in appropriate Eritrean languages as capacity permits.

For every public service, an Executive Agency shall publish information concerning legal authority, eligibility, requirements and charges, including:

For every public service, an Executive Agency shall publish information concerning administration, processing, tracking and redress, including:

An Executive Agency shall, as far as reasonably practicable and legally permitted, enable a person to submit an application and supporting material electronically without attending an office.

The system shall provide an acknowledgment, date of receipt, tracking reference and accessible means of checking status.

An Agency shall not require repeated submission of information already lawfully held and reasonably available to it, unless verification or an updated record is necessary.

An Executive Agency may communicate notices, requests and decisions electronically where the recipient has consented or an Assembly Act authorizes that method.

An adverse decision shall identify the responsible Agency, state intelligible reasons, cite the governing authority and explain available review or appeal.

Electronic delivery shall not replace a method of notice or service expressly required by an Assembly Act unless that Act permits replacement.

An Agency providing in-person services shall introduce appointments, queue management and published service standards where reasonably practicable.

A person shall not be required to wait in person merely to receive information, obtain a form, confirm an application’s status or perform a transaction reasonably capable of remote completion.

An Agency shall monitor waiting periods and take corrective action where they become excessive.

An Executive Agency collecting a fee already authorized by law shall provide secure electronic payment where reasonably practicable.

Every payment shall generate a receipt and auditable record.

Nothing in this Regulation authorizes a new fee, tax, surcharge or penalty.

Digital services shall supplement and improve public access and shall not, without authority in an Assembly Act, make electronic dealing compulsory.

Every Agency shall maintain reasonable in-person, paper, telephone or assisted-digital access for persons lacking connectivity, equipment, literacy, language ability, disability access or other practical means of using a digital service.

No person shall be denied an essential service solely because that person cannot use an electronic system.

Digital services shall be designed for mobile devices, low-bandwidth connections and commonly available technology as far as reasonably practicable.

An Agency shall provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities and practical assistance for persons requiring help.

An Agency shall test services with users from different regions and circumstances before public launch.

Every Executive Agency shall establish reliable procedures for creating, classifying, locating, retaining, backing up and lawfully disposing of electronic records.

A record system shall preserve accuracy, origin, date, authorized changes and an auditable history sufficient for administrative and judicial review.

A paper original shall be preserved where required by law or reasonably necessary to protect evidentiary, historical or administrative integrity.

An Executive Agency shall collect, use, retain and disclose personal information only for a lawful and stated public purpose and only to the extent reasonably necessary for that purpose.

Access shall be limited to authorized persons whose duties require it.

A person shall, subject to lawful exceptions, be able to inspect personal administrative information concerning that person and request correction of a material error.

Government-held personal information shall not be used for political, commercial or unrelated surveillance purposes.

Every Agency shall apply safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity and importance of its systems and information.

Safeguards shall include access control, secure authentication, backups, recovery procedures, incident recording, staff training and regular testing.

A serious breach, loss or prolonged interruption shall be reported promptly to the Agency Head, the coordinating office and every oversight body entitled by law to receive it.

An Agency shall maintain a workable non-electronic continuity procedure for essential services during system failure.

Technology may assist an official to organize information, verify completeness, calculate an amount fixed by law or perform another administrative task.

An automated system shall not exercise discretionary statutory power or make an unreviewable adverse decision affecting liberty, property, livelihood, employment, benefits or legal status.

A responsible official shall remain accountable for each decision, and meaningful human review shall be available.

Technical standards shall promote secure interoperability, accessibility, reliable identity verification, common data formats, portability, preservation and efficient use of public infrastructure.

Standards shall be publicly available unless limited disclosure is reasonably necessary for cybersecurity.

A technical standard shall not create a substantive legal right, duty, offence, fee or condition of eligibility.

Technology shall be acquired through lawful, competitive, transparent and auditable procedures.

Before acquisition, an Agency shall assess necessity, total cost, compatibility, security, maintenance, data portability, training, supplier dependence and availability of suitable common systems.

A contract shall protect government control of public records and provide reasonable access to data when the contract ends.

No expenditure is authorized except through an appropriation or other lawful budget authority.

Executive Agencies and the Public Service Administration shall provide practical training to officials responsible for digital services, records, privacy, cybersecurity and public assistance.

Agencies shall publish clear guidance and demonstrations enabling the public to use new services.

Public servants shall not direct a person to a digital service that the official knows is unavailable or incapable of completing the transaction.

Each Agency shall measure and publish, at reasonable intervals, information concerning service availability, use and timeliness, including:

Each Agency shall measure and publish, at reasonable intervals, information concerning reliability, complaints and financial performance, including:

Every digital service shall provide an accessible method for reporting an error, requesting assistance and making a complaint.

An Agency shall investigate a material error promptly and provide a reasoned response.

Use of an electronic system does not restrict administrative or judicial redress available under the Constitution or an Assembly Act.

Every Agency Head shall submit implementation reports to the Office of the President and Public Service Administration at the end of each implementation phase and annually thereafter.

Financial, security, records and performance information shall be made available to the Auditor General and other lawful oversight bodies within their respective authority.

The Office of the President shall submit a consolidated annual report to the National Assembly concerning executive implementation, expenditure, performance and proposed legislation.

Every Executive Agency shall complete the designation required by Regulation 7 within fourteen days after commencement.

Every Executive Agency shall complete its service and technology inventory within thirty days and approve its modernization plan within forty-five days after commencement.

Every Executive Agency shall publish the information required by Regulations 12 and 13 not later than sixty days after commencement.

By 1 October 2026, each Agency shall place its priority digital services into controlled internal or limited public testing.

During October and November 2026, each Agency shall test usability, accuracy, security, accessibility, processing capacity and non-electronic continuity, obtain user feedback, correct defects and repeat testing as necessary.

By 1 December 2026, each Agency Head shall certify which services are ready for public launch, identify unresolved risks and approve a corrective plan for every service not ready.

By 15 December 2026, each Agency shall publish public guidance, available service channels, assistance arrangements and the date and manner of launch.

On 1 January 2027, every Executive Agency shall publicly launch the digital services identified as ready under Regulation 30.

From that date, a person shall, as far as reasonably practicable and legally permitted, be able to obtain public information, submit an application, provide supporting material, pay an authorized fee, track progress, receive communications and seek administrative assistance without unnecessary physical attendance.

Failure to launch a service shall be reported publicly with specific reasons, interim access arrangements and a dated corrective schedule.

Public launch does not complete implementation.

Every Agency shall monitor use, failures, complaints, exclusion, delay and security, and shall test and refine each service at reasonable intervals.

An Agency shall suspend or modify a digital process where continued use creates a material risk to legality, privacy, security, equality or access, while maintaining an alternative service channel.

These Regulations direct executive administration only and shall not be interpreted as encroaching upon the legislative authority of the National Assembly.

Nothing in these Regulations authorizes the President, a Minister or an Executive Agency to:

Where effective digitalization requires a change in law, the responsible Minister shall submit a legislative proposal through the President to the National Assembly.

These Regulations shall be interpreted consistently with the Constitution, Assembly Acts and applicable international obligations.

A technical limitation, administrative convenience or computer-system design does not justify an action prohibited by law.

Where an Agency identifies an inconsistency, it shall preserve the superior law, provide a lawful interim service and report the matter to the President, the Advocate General and the National Assembly as appropriate.

An Executive Agency remains responsible for a public function performed through technology or a private contractor.

A system error, contractor act or automated process does not excuse an unlawful administrative action or remove a person’s right to correction and redress.

These Regulations enter into force on the date of publication in the Gazette of Eritrean Laws.

The public-launch date is 1 January 2027.

These Regulations provide for executive implementation of the statutory eighteen-month period of active national service.

The purposes of these Regulations are to:

These Regulations do not amend Proclamation 82/1995 or authorize any action inconsistent with the Constitution or an Assembly Act.

These Regulations apply to:

No Agency may avoid these Regulations by changing the title, location, classification or administrative supervision of a national-service assignment.

In these Regulations, the following expressions have the meanings assigned to them:

In these Regulations, the following additional expressions have the meanings assigned to them:

These Regulations shall be administered according to principles concerning the temporary nature and completion of national service:

These Regulations shall also be administered according to principles concerning voluntary employment, administrative protection and redress:

Within fifteen days after commencement, every Agency shall prepare a verified register of all national-service members assigned to it.

The register shall state:

An Agency shall provide every person concerned with access to the information recorded about that person and a reasonable opportunity to correct an error.

The statutory period shall be calculated from the date on which active national service began.

All periods of military training, military assignment and civilian or development work performed under national-service authority shall be included.

Transfer between Agencies, reassignment, change of duties or reclassification shall not restart, interrupt or extend the statutory period.

Absence shall not be excluded unless the exclusion is expressly authorized by law and supported by a written determination.

Where official records are incomplete, the responsible authority shall consider service cards, payment records, Agency records and other credible evidence.

A person who has completed the statutory period and whose assignment is substantially idle, duplicative, unnecessary or makes no regular and meaningful contribution shall be placed on transitional leave within thirty days after commencement.

In determining priority, an Agency shall consider:

An Agency shall not create nominal duties, unnecessarily divide existing work or make an artificial reassignment to prevent release.

A person placed on transitional leave:

Transitional leave shall not be used to postpone formal release beyond the deadline in Regulation 10.

A person on transitional leave may undertake temporary work for an Agency only under a written and voluntary agreement stating the duties, hours, compensation and right to withdraw.

Subject only to Regulation 11, every person who has completed the statutory period shall be formally released from active national service no later than 1 January 2027.

From that date, no Agency shall compel such a person to:

Failure to complete paperwork, identify a replacement, transfer funds or obtain internal approval does not extend national service.

Formal release shall not depend upon accepting public employment or another government programme.

Nothing in these Regulations extinguishes a special duty lawfully arising under Article 21 of Proclamation 82/1995 during war or general mobilization.

Article 21 shall not be used as a general or permanent basis for indefinite national service.

A person may be retained under Article 21 only where:

Labor shortages, administrative convenience, insufficient salaries, economic difficulties or the usefulness of inexpensive labor do not constitute war or general mobilization.

The Ministry of Defence and the National Service Office shall issue a completion certificate to every person formally released.

The certificate and all necessary separation documents shall be issued no later than fourteen days after verification of service.

A delay or refusal shall be accompanied by written reasons and information concerning the available review procedure.

Failure to issue a certificate does not authorize continued compulsory service after the statutory period.

An Agency seeking to employ a person who has completed national service shall determine whether the position is critical.

The written determination shall identify:

Classification of a position as critical does not authorize compulsory retention.

A person serving in a critical position may be offered employment under the Civil Service Administration Act.

The offer shall be written and shall state:

Acceptance must be free, informed and recorded in writing.

Silence, continued attendance, prior national service or economic necessity does not constitute acceptance.

Refusal of an employment offer shall not delay release, documentation, accrued payment or access to public services.

Upon written acceptance of an offer, the person’s national-service assignment shall end.

The resulting relationship shall be governed by the Civil Service Administration Act and other applicable employment law.

The appointment shall be processed through the Civil Service Administration and placed on the lawful establishment and payroll of the employing Agency.

Previous national service shall be recognized for pension, seniority, training and other purposes to the extent provided by law.

A contract of employment shall not reproduce military discipline, compulsory residence, restrictions on private life or other incidents of involuntary national service.

An Agency shall not compel continued work because it cannot presently pay the lawful salary.

Where an Agency requires continued voluntary service but cannot immediately pay the full salary, employment may continue only if:

An acknowledgment of indebtedness shall state:

This Regulation does not authorize borrowing, expenditure or creation of public debt contrary to an Assembly Act or appropriation.

A transitional agreement shall not continue for more than six months unless the employee renews it in writing and the competent financial and civil-service authorities approve it.

Every Agency shall facilitate the civilian reintegration of persons released under these Regulations.

Assistance shall include, as reasonably available:

Assistance shall be administered transparently and without discrimination based on political opinion, ethnicity, religion, sex, region, former assignment or criticism of the Government.

A person who has completed active national service shall receive the priority in employment and educational opportunities provided by Article 22 of Proclamation 82/1995 when that person satisfies the applicable qualifications.

In public recruitment, completion of national service may be used as a published tie-breaking consideration between substantially equally qualified candidates.

The Civil Service Administration shall ensure that priority:

Ministries responsible for commerce, investment, finance, agriculture, fisheries, industry and local development shall identify lawful programmes through which released persons may obtain training, technical assistance, credit and investment support.

Priority under this Regulation does not authorize:

No Agency shall obstruct lawful foreign travel by a person who has completed active national service.

The competent authorities shall process passport, exit and related applications according to published law and procedure.

No unwritten national-service condition may be imposed after completion of the statutory period.

The ministries responsible for labor and foreign affairs may:

Participation in foreign employment shall be voluntary, and no person shall be pressured to leave Eritrea.

Subject to lawful appropriation, a person placed on transitional leave shall continue receiving an amount equal to the pocket money previously payable.

Payment shall continue until the earliest of:

Within ninety days after commencement, the Cabinet shall submit to the National Assembly any appropriation or legislation necessary to establish a coherent transitional-support programme.

Transitional support shall not be treated as salary for compulsory labor or as consideration for surrendering the right to release.

A National Service Completion and Transition Board is established to coordinate implementation of these Regulations.

The Board shall consist of representatives of:

The Board shall:

The Board may coordinate executive administration but may not extend national service, create compulsory employment, authorize expenditure or restrict a right without authority under superior law.

Within thirty days after commencement, every Agency shall submit to the Board the following personnel-review and release information:

Within the same period, every Agency shall also submit to the Board the following implementation and transition information:

A material decision under these Regulations shall be recorded in writing and accompanied by reasons.

A person affected by a decision may request reconsideration by the responsible Agency.

The Agency shall decide the request within seven days.

A person dissatisfied with the decision, or receiving no decision within seven days, may appeal to the Board.

The Board shall determine the appeal promptly through a fair procedure and provide a reasoned decision.

Nothing in these Regulations limits constitutional administrative redress or judicial review.

No person shall be arrested, detained, transferred, denied documentation, dismissed from lawful employment, deprived of a benefit, threatened, harassed or otherwise disadvantaged for:

No person shall be arrested, detained, transferred, denied documentation, dismissed from lawful employment, deprived of a benefit, threatened, harassed or otherwise disadvantaged for:

Beginning thirty days after commencement, the Board shall publish a monthly implementation report.

The report shall state, by Agency:

Personal information shall be protected, but confidentiality shall not be used to conceal institutional noncompliance.

The Auditor General shall be requested to audit records and financial matters, including:

The Auditor General shall also be requested to audit deployment and release practices, including:

An executive directive, circular, order, practice or internal instruction inconsistent with these Regulations shall cease to be applied to the extent of the inconsistency.

These Regulations do not repeal, amend or displace an Assembly Act.

If an Agency considers that an Assembly Act prevents implementation, it shall identify the exact provision and submit the matter to the President, the Advocate General and the National Assembly.

These Regulations shall be interpreted consistently with the Constitution, Proclamation 82/1995, the Civil Service Administration Act, public-finance legislation and applicable international obligations.

Where a provision is reasonably capable of more than one interpretation, the interpretation that best protects liberty, voluntary employment, timely release and faithful execution of the statutory period shall be preferred.

These Regulations enter into force on the date of publication in the Gazette of Eritrean Laws.

The personnel review, priority-release, transitional-leave and implementation provisions shall be applied immediately.

Every Agency shall achieve full compliance with Regulation 10 no later than 1 January 2027.