Eritreans back home should be allowed to create wealth in Eritrea and enjoy economic freedom. However, the restrictions on the Eritrean economy by the Eritrean government, such as import bans and the prohibition of private companies, are why we need economic reforms in Eritrea.
Since the early 2000s, the Eritrean government has imposed strong restrictions on the Eritrean economy, such as import bans on cars and the prohibition of private companies like private construction firms. Eritrean business owners have to pay high taxes in Eritrea.
This has led to many Eritrean businessmen fleeing Eritrea and starting big enterprises in South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, the Gulf States, and the West.
Instead of addressing this issue by implementing economic reforms in Eritrea and allowing the private sector as in the 1990s, the Eritrean government is praising itself for the blue economy, free healthcare, and free education. However, they do not mention that Eritreans in the diaspora are the ones making it possible by sending remittances to Eritrea and paying a 2% tax.
The way forward is allowing economic reforms in Eritrea so that Eritreans would be allowed to create wealth in Eritrea instead of fleeing the country en masse.