National Archives of Eritrea Research and Documentation Centre RDC

Overview

The National Archives of Eritrea, formally known as the Research and Documentation Centre (RDC), is the national archival institution of the State of Eritrea. Located in Asmara, the capital, the RDC functions as both the national archives and national library of Eritrea, responsible for collecting, preserving, and providing access to the country's historical records and documentary heritage. It operates under the Government of Eritrea.

History and Founding

The institution was originally established in February 1979 under the name Research and Information Centre of Eritrea (RICE), prior to Eritrean independence. It took its current name, Research and Documentation Centre, in 1991 following Eritrea's liberation. The RDC is recognized internationally as Eritrea's de facto national archives and has been developing its collections and documentation programs since independence. It is listed in international directories as both Eritrea's national archives and national library.

Collections and Holdings

The RDC holds archival collections covering successive periods of Eritrean history: the Italian colonial period (1890–1941), British administration (1941–1952), the Federal period under Ethiopia (1952–1962), Ethiopian occupation (1962–1991), and the armed struggle period (1961–1991), as well as records from the post-independence period. The collections include administrative and governmental records, stone inscriptions from Dahlak, religious parchments (both Islamic and Orthodox), and audiovisual materials. The RDC is equipped with state-of-the-art digitization facilities, including an audio studio for transferring audiocassettes and reel-to-reel recordings to archival digital formats, and a video studio capable of converting VHS, Hi-8, Betacam, Betamax, and U-matic formats to Digital Betacam. The RDC also holds an inventory of religious artifacts.

Access and Usage

Researchers may directly visit the Reading Room at the Research and Documentation Centre in Asmara. The postal address is PO Box 897, Asmara, Eritrea. The institution is in the continuing process of collecting, organizing, and digitizing its holdings. A website has been maintained at www.eritreanarchives.org.

Significance

As the custodian of Eritrea's national memory, the RDC plays a foundational role in preserving documentation of the country's complex colonial and independence history. Its digitization program, supported in part by international partners including the European Union, has been recognized as a model for archival modernization in the Horn of Africa region.