Despite the good relations between Eritrea and the Netherlands, the volume of trade between the two countries is still rather small. The Netherlands does not feature among Eritrea’s main trading partners. Imports from Eritrea have declined drastically since the year 2000 and exports to Eritrea have also declined substantially. In 2003, imports from Eritrea stood at a value of only €35,000 while exports to Eritrea totalled €6.9 million.

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Exports from Eritrea to the Netherlands include cut flowers and fish. Imports from the Netherlands are diverse and include hi-tech products such as medical equipment. Some Dutch consultants are active in the maritime sector in Eritrea. Investment in Eritrea by Dutch entrepreneurs has been limited so far, partially due to the lack of a conducive investment climate.

The programme of Netherlands Senior Experts (PUM), formerly known as NMCP,  has been active in Eritrea since 2001, offering specialised assistance from Dutch experts to Eritrean companies that want to improve their knowledge and capacity in specific areas of their business. Many successful missions have already taken place.