News Highlights: Crimes against humanity in Libya, Ethiopian and Eritrean connections with North Korea, CoE concern over UK migration bill

In this week’s news highlights: PM Abiy Ahmed’s answers to calls for resignation and Oromia conflict; European diplomats concerned about transitional justice in Ethiopia; Ethiopian and Eritrean partnerships with Glocom and North Korea; 30.000 IDPs in distress in Debre Berhan city; Release of more than 190 ethnic Tigrayan members of ENDF; Water infrastructure destroyed in Tigray region during the war; Cholera outbreak in Oromia region; Eritrea’s spoiler role in peace process between Ethiopia and Tigray; Conflicts with Sudan over demarcations being resolved, says PM; Petition for Sudan government to stop abuse of Eritreans; 20 people die due to flash floods in Somalia; Conflict resuming in Laascaanood; President Kiir appoints Defence Minister, endangering peace; South Sudan Rome peace talks fail; 5 people killed in clash between two groups in Sudan; Sudan discusses military and security reform; Protests in Kenya intensify; UN investigation finds crimes against humanity against refugees in Libya, and finds EU contributed to them; 29 migrants die after shipwreck off Tunisian coast; AU arrangements for the transfer of migrants from Libya to Rwanda; Libyan coast guard shoots at SOS Méditerranée ship during rescue; JMC 5+5 Meeting in Tripoli; CoE concerned over new UK Illegal Migration Bill; CoE condemns European countries for torture and illegal pushbacks of migrants; Negotiations to start on EU migration reform laws; and Somali communities accuse London of racial discrimination.

News Highlights: Eritrea receives delegations, US’s Blinken in Ethiopia, 30 presumed dead off Libya as SaR fails again

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrea receives delegations from Somalia and Sudan; US State Secretary Blinken’s trip to Ethiopia; Ethiopian opposition walks out of transitional justice meeting; Opposition parties in Ethiopia face harassment; WHO increases health response among Somali refugees in Ethiopia; Disagreement over regional presidency candidates in Tigray delays CoH agreement implementation; Cash shortages in Tigray; Forced rehabilitation of diaspora youth in Somalia; Ethiopian PM travels to South Sudan; Sudanese Democratic Bloc rejects appointment of PM before political agreement; 30 presumed dead as rescue efforts fail, despite warnings, off Libya; Libya launches border security plan; UNSC expresses concern over situation of refugees and migrants in statement; Labour challenge to UK Illegal Migration Bill fails; EC defends lack of EU rescue response after latest tragedy; EC presents framework on border management and returns; Italy estimates 680.000 people want to cross to Europe from Libya – IOM highly doubts that; Germany arrests traffickers and smugglers; Italian ombudsman calls for more guardians for unaccompanied minors; and Wagner puts 15 million USD bounty on Italian defence minister amidst accusations over weaponised migration.

by K. Smits
Posted on February 3, 2023February 3, 2023
Abiy Ahmed

In this week’s News Highlights: Regional summit in Somalia discusses fight against al-Shabaab; Orthodox church in Ethiopia accuses Abiy of ‘meddling’; 3,000 Somali soldiers sent to Eritrea for training; ICRC shows widespread destruction of health facilities in Tigray; Oromia region ‘now the most unstable’; Eritrean troops reportedly block UN in Tigray; Over 400 Christians now imprisoned in Eritrea; Libya fact-finding mission urges Libya to cooperate; Italy accused of complicity in abuses in Libya; CoE criticises Italian decree on rescues; Arrests in Italy on charges of torture in Libya; Critics warn EU not to rush normalising relations with Ethiopia; and EU Commission presents four-step plan on stopping irregular migration.