http://ascenteq.com/project/epdp

In a recent reshuffle of the Swedish cabinet headed by Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan löfven, a long-time friend, Ann Linde, was appointed as the Minister for European Union Affairs and Trade. The Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP) congratulated Ms Linde and expected her to initiate and promote proposals that towards empowering Eritrean pro-democracy forces in the diaspora.

Dated 10 June 2016, the EPDP memorandum, which was also copied to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Ms Margot Wallström, seized the opportunity to remind the addressees and their ruling party of their two resolutions at the 37th party congress in 2014 pledging to help in the capacity-building of Eritrean pro-democracy organizations and to fight towards ending the illegal 2% tax and related financial extortions that the Eritrean regime is practicing inside Sweden.

in addition, the memorandum also urged the fraternal Party and Government in Sweden to play leading roles in the following efforts:

1. Give full backing to the findings and conclusions of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea;
2. Initiate a regional and/or global action plan to avert the high possibility of Eritrea becoming another totally failed state in the Horn of Africa;
3. Lay down and promote a blueprint for a non-violent political transition in Eritrea within the shortest time possible;
4. Launching a large-scale package project for Eritrean refugees in the Sudan and Ethiopia with adequate shelter, healthcare and proper academic and vocational education.

The memo, issued by the EPDP office for foreign relations, also expected to see both ministries for further talks on the issues raised in the message.

Ms Ann Linde, who, inter alia, served as the international secretary for the Swedish Social Democratic Party, has also been a long-time friends of Eritrean oppositions organizations including the EPDP.