November 11, 2011 - In a move to oppose new sanctions against his country over alleged links to rebel and militant attacks, Eritrea's president has requested the UN Security Council to give him an opportunity for a personal hearing before the international body. On the other hand, neighboring Ethiopia seeks tougher actions against Asmara for allegedly supporting Islamist rebels in Somalia.

Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of plotting a bomb during an African Union summit in Addis Ababa. Even a UN report last month blamed Eritrea’s government for planning the failed plot to disrupt the AU summit by bombing governmental and civilian targets.

Besides Ethiopia, Kenya is accusing Asmara of supporting Somali rebels. However, Eritrean President Afeworki has denied accusations hurled against his country by Kenya, saying that Eritrea was in no way involved in supporting Shabab rebels in Somalia. Afeworki has also denied involvement of his country in the bombing plot in Addis Ababa in January. He has asked that he should be given an opportunity to speak to the UNSC to intimate his country’s stand. However, the United States opposes giving Afeworki an opportunity to speak at the 15-member UNSC meeting, believing that the Eritrea president’s presence at the meeting would only be an invitation to rival Ethiopia and other nations, which will only spur tensions.

Meanwhile, Nigeria and Gabon, both UNSC members, seek sanctions on the mining industry in Eritrea in a resolution. The two UNSC members also seek a ban on Eritrea's remissions from abroad. A few Western nations are not in favor of the new sanctions against Eritrea, since they fear that such restrictions would not be in favor of the civilian population in that country.

Though there has been no response from the UNSC to the president’s appeal, chances of him being given the opportunity seem bleak. However, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development is trying to put pressure on the council for a decision on Eritrea.

Meanwhile, the United States has earlier spoken in favor of new sanctions against Asmara. However, some council members fear that sanctions against mining industry would cripple the Eritrean economy and harm the five million population. In fact, Eritrean economy relies heavily on remittances from abroad and its mining industry, since it is the mainstay of the country’s economy.

In a letter to the UNSC, Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, opposing the sanctions, said that if its rival Ethiopia and those countries harboring “belligerent intentions" against his country are given the right to inspect all cargo shipments meant for Eritrea, it will have “dangerous security implications." Further, he mentioned that sanctions against the mining industry would not be in favor of the country’s economy and would "cripple future economic growth."

Earlier, in December 2009, the UNSC imposed sanctions Eritrea for that country’s alleged support for Shabab in the civil war against Somalia. Assets of Eritrean leaders stood frozen.