Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to the movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of universities, research organisations, civil society, and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and across Africa. The Situation Reports can be found here. To receive the situation report in your e-mail, click here. You can unsubscribe at any moment through the link at the bottom of each e-mail.
Situation in Sudan (per 18 July)
- The Ombadda Block 5 neighbourhood in Omdurman is completely uninhabitable due to no remaining services, functional markets, hospitals, or medical centres. Widespread waste and decomposing corpses make the neighbourhood unsanitary.
- Representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) travelled to Geneva for “indirect talks” under auspices of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, focusing on humanitarian aid, safe humanitarian corridors and civilian protection.
- Lamamra met separately with representatives from each side, however, a direct meeting between the two Sudanese parties has not been scheduled.
- 800,000 people are trapped in El Fasher, North Darfur, without food, water or access to medical services, said the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO warned of looming famine and hunger and need for a sustainable plan for delivery of humanitarian and relief supplies.
- Hunger and acute lack of food is one of the main reasons for Sudanese refugees to flee the country. “They said it’s not insecurity, it’s not lack of access to basic services, but because we have nothing to eat there,” said Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan.
- One third of wounded persons of Sudan’s conflict had been women and children under the age of 10, said Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
- Sennar city has been cut off from access to food and fuel by RSF. Flour and rice are fully sold out at the markets and grain mills cannot produce new flour due to the lack of electricity, confirmed resistance committees in Sennar.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 18 July)
- At least nine police officers of the Ethiopian Federal Police forces were killed in an attack on Kumer refugee camp by unidentified group of gunmen in West Gondar zone, Amhara region on Wednesday.
- A refugee child and some other security personnel were injured during the attack.
- The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) political party has been facing internal challenges that surfaced through extensive evaluation carried out across various party levels.
- TPLF has been facing “factionalism, anti-democracy, localism, populism and corruption”, said a statement following 11-days meeting of the party’s leadership in Mekelle, Tigray region.
- 22 districts in Benishangul-Gumuz region are affected by malaria outbreak with 10,526 confirmed cases and 5 fatalities, said the regional health bureau.
Situation in Kenya (per 18 July)
- Kenyan President, William Ruto, dismissed almost all ministers of his Cabinet as well as the attorney general, following the nation-wide protests against a tax bill and unrest in the country last week. Ministries are to be led by permanent secretaries until new ministers are appointed.
- Ruto pledged to form a new “broad-based government” consulting experts from different sectors and political formations.
- The waves of protest, however, continued this week with demonstrators demanding Ruto’s resignation and accusing the president of misgovernance, corruption and inability to regulate soaring cost of living.
- Police in Nairobi used tear gas against protesters on Tuesday and fully banned protests in central Nairobi on Wednesday.
- “No demonstrations will be permitted in the Nairobi Central Business District and its surroundings until further notice to ensure public safety,” said Douglas Kanja, National Police Chief.
- The Kenyan government and International Monetary Fund (IMF) should work together in order to align economic policies with human rights on every level of implementation, domestic and international, urges Human Rights Watch (HRW).
- Protests in the country can be seen as an alert for the Kenyan government and the IMF which should not “sacrifice rights in the name of economic recovery,” said Sarah Saadoun, senior HRW researcher.
International Situation (per 18 July)
- South Sudan’s main opposition party Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Riek Machar, withdrew from the Kenya-led peace talks.
- The parties to the talks initiated eight protocols on thematic critical issues for South Sudan earlier this week, which were rejected by Machar’s SPLM-IO claiming that protocols were incompatible with the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.
- Twelve people were killed in the village of Shiilamaow, central Somalia, amid clashes between government soldiers and local militias over two trucks with weapons on Monday. Weapons were reportedly smuggled illegally to Somalia through the Ethiopian border.
- The Somaliland government called upon the UN and international community to reevaluate the arms embargo on Somalia that was lifted in December 2023.
- Somaliland stated that due to several recent incidents arms and weaponry end in hands of Al-Shabaab or local militant groups leading to a further destabilisation of the region.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 18 July)
- A group of Tigrayan Civil Society organisations (CSOs) called for urgent protection of Tigrayan refugees in Sudan who are trapped amid ongoing conflict.
- CSOs urged Ethiopian and Tigray regional authorities to ensure safe and voluntary repatriation of refugees and access to protection and essential services upon their return.
- South Sudanese refugees in Sudan are being reportedly targeted by SAF and accused of aiding or cooperating with RSF. South Sudanese refugees are being arrested, detained and deported back to South Sudan, said eyewitnesses.
- The rescue mission of refugees and migrants off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean sea was hijacked by armed bandits who climbed into the overloaded vessel causing people to jump into the sea. Despite this incident, 93 refugees and migrants were successfully rescued by SOS Mediterranee.
Links of interest
Omdurman locality ‘uninhabitable’ amid sanitary crisis and total service collapse
Sudan belligerents in Geneva for ‘discussions’
Sudan: 800,000 still trapped in El Fasher where supplies running out, warns WHO
A third of those wounded in Sudan conflict are women or young children, MSF says
Sennar faces famine as RSF siege cuts off food and fuel supplies
በአማራ ክልል የተመድ መጠለያ ጣቢያ አቅራቢያ በተፈጸመ ጥቃት በርካታ የፀጥታ ኃይሎች ተገደሉ
መግለፂ ቅዋም ላዕለዎት ኣመራርሓ ህወሓት
Benishangul-Gumuz reports malaria outbreak across 22 districts, five fatalities recorded
Kenyan president dismisses all cabinet ministers after weeks of protests
Kenya: Anti-government protesters again out in force
Kenya police ban protests in Nairobi after deadly anti-govt demonstrations
Kenya/IMF: Align Economic Reform with Rights
SPLM-IO pulls out of Kenya-mediated peace initiative
12 killed as Somali troops, local militias clash
Somaliland Government Deeply Concerned Over Arms Proliferation in Somalia
30 Tigrayan Civil Society Organizations Call for Urgent Action to Protect Tigrayan Refugees in Sudan
Sudanese military targets South Sudanese for mass deportation
Migrants jump into sea as armed bandits climb onboard their boat during rescue mission
Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.