In a speech marking Eritrea's 17th anniversary since independence, Issaias said he was duty-bound to cushion Eritrea's 4.2 million population from the affects of rising food prices which have hit poorest nations the hardest.

"Considering the direction to which the global economy is heading, not only is the price of food items soaring but speculation suggests that their very availability could be endangered. Hence, it is imperative for food security to become the priority of priorities for us and many other poor nations," he said in a speech posted in information ministry website.

"Due evaluation will be undertaken as regards our fiscal policies, import regulations, price control, supply and provision of consumer goods, and the like, in the wake of which the necessary practical measures will be taken," he added.

In 2005, the Asmara government halted the distribution of most food aid to its poor population, saying the country was working to promote self-reliance among the population. It also refused to renew permits for aid workers.

The UN and and aid workers have said that some two-thirds of Eritrea's 4.2 million people were in need of food, but the government said the fears were "unfounded and unsubstantiated."

Asmara said that a government cash-for-work programme initiated in September 2005 and aimed at stemming dependence on relief aid was "working well."

Sharply rising global food prices have led to fears of shortages and sparked riots in many countries. Developing countries, where households spend most of their income on food, have been the worst hit.

Eritrea, a small nation on the southern edges of the Gulf of Aden, got independence from Ethiopia in 1991. Its economy was badly hit after its 1998-2000 border war with Ethiopia.

© 2008 Agence France-Presse