News Highlights: Refugees from Ethiopia reach Sudan, Sudanese refugees arrested in Cairo, 1,600 refugees arrive in Canary Islands

In this week’s news highlights: Thousands of refugees escape Ethiopian conflict towards Sudan as international community calls for de-escalation; UN concerns for Eritrean asylum seekers in Tigray camps; Sudan and Eritrea discuss regional security; Report about pressure on Eritrean asylum seekers in Ethiopia; 1,600 refugees and migrants arrive at Canary Islands; Italy plans to deploy military ships and planes to monitor Tunisian coast; Stricter rules on migration assimilation presented in security-focused draft EU declaration; Nearly 100 refugees cross the English Channel in two days; Inquiry launched into EU complicity in violence against refugees in Croatia; 65 migrants intercepted by Greek coast guards trying to cross to Italy; Captain jailed 8 years for deadly migrant accident; Sudanese refugees arrested for protesting in Cairo.

Refugees as Pawns, a short history of the 2016 EU-Turkey deal until now

On February 28, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey “opened the doors” to Europe, warning that “millions” of immigrants would soon be flocking towards the European Union (EU). Over 35.000 refugees gathered at the Greek border only to be stuck there without shelter in the rain and cold upon arrival. Multiple European leaders have expressed their criticism of Turkey using refugees as a bargaining chip. EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said that “Turkey has a big burden … and we have to understand that […] but at the same time, we cannot accept that migrants are being used as a source of pressure”. Nevertheless, the EU is willing to provide more money to Turkey, financially rewarding the behavior they condemn. A short history of the EU’s external deals shows how this situation evolved.

by E. Berends
Posted on October 11, 2019October 11, 2019
Africa

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrean football players flee during tournament in Uganda; Businessman involved in corruption scandal in South Sudan; 4000 displaced people are missing in South-Sudan; New Food Price List set by the Eritrean government; Only three additional countries participate in relocation system; EU officials visit Turkey, followed by Turkish invasion of Northern-Syria; UN warns of setbacks in battle against statelessness; Italian coast guard finds 13 bodies in the Mediterranean Sea; Asylum process to be cut down to four months in Italy; Human trafficker participated in migration meeting in Italy; Protests against detention centres in Libya supported by Swiss MPs; and EU delegation pushes for closures of detention centres in Libya.