In this week’s news highlights, the European Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee discusses partnership with the African Union; Italy and Germany demand a border patrol mission at the Niger-Libya border; the Eritrean Information Office continues to collect diaspora tax in Norway; 10 Christians were reported arrested in Eritrea; and a fishing boat was reportedly attacked by a United Arab Emirates (UAE) helicopter. Furthermore, although UNHCR succeeded in bringing emergency aid to Yemen’s Taizz governorate, the agency warns about worsening conditions.
Europe
EU-African Union: a new partnership, starring youth
The Foreign Affairs Council of the EU, together with the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union, discussed this Monday the base on which a new stronger partnership will be set up.
Germany and Italy: fighting illegal migration at the southern border of Libya
Interior Ministers of Germany and Italy sent a letter to the European Commission demanding a mission for border control at the Libya-Niger border. They see this as a starting point for fighting illegal migration, EUobserver reports.
Poland and Hungary: European Commission gives an ultimatum for relocation
The Guardian reports that EU Commissioner for Migration, Mr. Avramopoulos, urges Poland and Hungary to take action on the relocation plan. If this does not happen after June the Commission will start infringement procedures.
Norway: authorities want to stop Eritrean diaspora tax collection
Although Norway closed the Eritrean embassy in October 2013 in order to stop the tax collection from members Eritrean diaspora community, the tax collection is still being carried out through the ‘Eritrean Information Office’. Martin Plaut reports on the dossier of these activities, which Eritrean citizens handed to the Norwegian police.
Netherlands: protests against deportation of Sudanese migrant
All Africa reports on the protest led by Sudanese activists in The Hague against the deportation of an activist of the Nuba Mountains Solidarity Organisation.
North Africa
Libya: Migrants flee poverty but end up in torture and new slave trade
In this report from The Guardian, Emma Graham-Harrison gives voice to victims of human trafficking in Libya.
Libya: Haftar’s new strategy towards presidential elections
An opinion piece from Mattia Toaldo on Middle East Eye elaborates on the new strategy adopted by General Haftar towards presidential elections in 2018 and the hurdles he may face in realizing it.
Horn of Africa and the Middle East
Eritrea: arrests of Christians continues
The Christian Post reports the arrest of 10 Christians in Eritrea. The charges seem to be undetermined at the moment.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide provides an account of the situation of prisoners of conscience.
Eritrea: Afar fishermen attacked by UAE helicopter
On Sunday 7th May, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) helicopter attacked an Afar fishing boat in the Dankalia region, homeland of the Afar ethnic minority group which has been persecuted since the independence.
Ethiopia: Eritrean Refugees reunite in cycling team
UNHCR reports the story of a group of Eritrean refugees who set up a cycling team in Addis Ababa. This initiative is about reunion, solidarity and mutual support.
Ethiopia: steep decline in ‘Fragile State Index’
The Fund for Peace presented the “Fragile State Index” and Ethiopia figures among the countries whose index worsened most in the past year.
South Sudan: Self-determination fundamental for solving the crisis
In an Aljazeera opinion piece, Laura Nyantung Beny analyses the options for solving the crisis in South Sudan and argues the fundamental role that the self-determination of the country will have in this process.
Yemen: UNHCR succeeds in aid distribution but warns of worsening situation
The UNHCR managed to distribute aid in the governorate of Taizz for the third time this year. However, due the difficult conditions for access by humanitarian organisation and the high number of internally displaced people, the situation is worsening- Reliefweb reports.
Sincerely,
The EEPA-Team