Eritreans residing in different parts of the world are pleading with South Africa-born US billionaire Elon Musk to provide their small Red Sea nation with internet access to end a longstanding blackout according to TheEastAfrican.
The calls come a few days after Mr Musk, the founder of SpaceX, launched a satellite internet service via Starlink for Ukraine to keep Kyiv connected to the internet, which was disrupted after Russia invaded the eastern European country.
Despite the Russia-caused internet outrage, Ukrainians have reportedly been able to use Starlink to stay connected.
In Eritrea, barely one percent of the population has internet access.
Using the campaign hashtag #Starlink4Eritrea, pro-Eritrea Twitter users, mainly in the diaspora, are calling on the billionaire to help their country with internet access similar to what he deployed for war-ravaged Ukraine.
Eritrea, which gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, has one of the lowest internet access rates in Africa.
A report by the International Telecommunication Union shows that only one percent of the country’s estimated population of 3.6 million have access to the internet.
The State-owned Eritel is the country’s sole internet provider.
Since there is no mobile internet in Eritrea, its people only use Wi-Fi, one of the slowest globally.
Citizens use bypass online software to help them access social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Eritrea has been a one-party state since it proclaimed independence on April 27, 1993. The reclusive nation has never held a presidential election.
