Research and Documentation Center of Eritrea PFDJ

Overview

The Research and Documentation Center of Eritrea (also referred to as the Research and Documentation Center of the PFDJ, or the Eritrean Research and Documentation Center) is the national archival and documentation institution of Eritrea, located in Asmara. It serves as the country's primary institution for the preservation, organization, and dissemination of historical documents, photographs, audio recordings, and written materials related to the Eritrean independence struggle and national history.

History and Founding

The institution was founded in February 1979, originally as the Research and Information Centre on Eritrea (RICE), during the Eritrean struggle for independence. Its establishment was connected to the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), which later became the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). The center has since evolved into the principal repository of Eritrea's liberation-era and post-independence documentary heritage.

Collections and Holdings

The center holds documents in photographic, audio, and written forms relating to the Eritrean independence struggle, the history of the EPLF/PFDJ, and the post-independence period. In 2022, it received a donation of more than 900 files, including videos and printed materials, documenting the activities of clandestine EPLF members in North America from the 1970s onward. The center actively digitizes its holdings and has introduced advanced digital equipment to improve access and preservation.

Training and Outreach

The center regularly provides training on documentation and archive management to employees of government institutions across Eritrea's administrative regions. These programs are organized in collaboration with regional administrations and cover document organization, preservation, evaluation, and digital document management.