News Highlights: SAF withdraws from negotiations – US applies sanctions, Isaias visits Russia, Eritrean festivals cancelled in EU

In this week’s News Highlights: US imposes sanctions as SAF walks away from negotiations; Humanitarian situation in Sudan; Damage to healthcare facilities in Sudan; Destroyed infrastructure in Sudan; Youth Citizens Observers Network denounces violations in Sudan conflict; Sudan’s refugee situation; Roadmap for resolution of Sudan conflict adopted by AU; UNSC closed meeting on Sudan; Occupation of Western Tigray continues; Starvation and blackouts in Tigray continue; Ongoing humanitarian impact by unrest in Oromia and Amhara; Airline sued for excluding Tigrayans from services; President Isaias visits President Putin; 17 killed after al-Shabaab attack; Tunisian national guard arrests a smuggler and blocks crossing attempt; Eritrean PFDJ festivals cancelled in the Netherlands and Belgium; Proposal for EU reception quotas; Severe criticism of Frontex’s data reliability; The Commission aims at implementing EU’s visa-free travel regimes; EU neglects Afghan refugees, IRC says; NGOs accuse Malta of illegal pushback by proxy; Migrants and refugees stuck at the Poland-Belarus border; Germany to increase border controls; NGOs concerned over illegal pushbacks in Germany; Police officers arrested for smuggling in Greece; People rescued at sea off the Italian coast; French soldiers charged over migrant deaths; and British PM Sunak prioritises the fight against illegal migration.

News Highlights: Displacement from Sudan reaches 1.3 million, Elections in Puntland, NGOs condemn EU for deaths at sea

In this week’s News Highlights: Latest ceasefire in Sudan monitored, but breached; UN scrambles to deliver aid in Sudan, as 1.3 million people are displaced; Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees stuck in Sudan; Cities in Darfur experiencing fighting, looting and blackouts; Refugees from Sudan in trouble in Chad and Egypt; TPLF files complaint against NEBE; WFP announces aid measures in Tigray, but not resumption of aid; IDPs in Tigray protest occupation by Eritrean and Amhara forces; Fighting in Amhara and Oromia regions continues; EOTC pledges to restore relations; Somalia’s Puntland region to hold elections; High-level pledging event for Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia falls short of goal; Eritrea as country with the second-highest prevalence of slavery; Migrants and refugees report on Libyan detention centres; GNU attacks opposing militia with air raids; UK government announces new measure to curb migration; UK Home Secretary tries to skip final vote on the illegal migration bill; Italian NGOs condemn European countries for deaths at sea; Italy to build first hotspot in the North of the country; Germany publishes new draft citizenship law; German Interior Minister urges reform of the EU asylum system; Austria strengthens border controls as Hungary releases people smugglers; Greece to investigate over illegal deportations of migrants and refugees; 3 dead and 12 missing at sea in Greece; Increased crossings at Poland-Belarus border concerns Germany.

Roadmap on asylum and migration and rotating Council presidencies: what implications for EU asylum and migration law?

The signature of the Joint Roadmap on Asylum and Migration by the European Parliament and Council heralds a busy legislative period that could have significant and lasting impact, not only on legislation, but on the direction European Asylum and migration law takes in the future. The proposed large overhaul of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) seems unlikely to pass in time and the Czech Council presidency is attempting to pass smaller, more consensual pieces of legislation; but according to critics also more problematic in their implications such as the instrumentalization regulation.This regulation, according to some, would make permanently accessible emergency opt out mechanisms, weakening EU asylum law and the international asylum system as a whole