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Situation in Sudan (per 18 November)
- Over 150 community kitchens in the East Nile district of Khartoum have shut down due to a lack of funding, cutting off food aid for thousands of vulnerable families amid Sudan’s ongoing conflict. These volunteer-run kitchens had been a vital source of support in areas devastated by fighting.
- The closures have heightened the risk of famine, with local groups calling for urgent help from donors and aid organisations to restart operations and address the growing humanitarian crisis.
- The acting governor of South Darfur, Bashir Mursal, dismissed 70 tribal leaders, accusing them of aiding the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and thus contributing to violence and destruction across Sudan.
- Mursal alleges these leaders were involved in recruiting fighters, sheltering foreign mercenaries, and inciting attacks in South Darfur as well as Khartoum. The governor also blamed them for severe human rights violations, such as killings and looting in Nyala, and called for their prosecution.
- The World Food Programme (WFP) urged Sudan’s warring factions to allow safe passage for two critical aid convoys delivering food to hunger-stricken areas in North Darfur and South Kordofan.
- The convoys aim to assist 27,000 people in the Zamzam camp and 10,000 in Delling and Kadugli, but they must navigate numerous armed checkpoints before reaching their destination.
- Deaths in Sudan’s ongoing conflict are likely underreported, with over 61,000 deaths in Khartoum State alone between April 2023 and June 2024, shows a new study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
- This figure includes 26,000 deaths directly from violence, surpassing the total intentional-injury deaths estimated for the entire country by NGO Armed Conflict Location and Event Data.
- The study also found preventable disease and starvation to be leading causes of death, revealing the extensive but hidden toll of the conflict.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 18 November)
- The Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) has accused a faction within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led by Debretsion Gebremichael of attempting a coup against the regional government.
- The primary reason behind the political dispute between two factions is reportedly centred around the control over Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT), a major conglomerate crucial for economic power, according to an investigative article by The Reporter.
- Control of EFFORT was transferred from the TPLF central committee to TIA in 2022 with both sides seeing the control to be crucial for political dominance and access to the funding.
- Over 130 civilians in Amuru district, Oromia region, have been detained for over seven months without court trial, allegedly due to family ties with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), with reports of mistreatment and denial of medical care.
- A recent audit report on Ethiopia’s mining sector revealed severe issues and gaps, including rampant corruption, unregulated illegal trade, and a lack of strategic oversight, resulting in significant revenue losses for the country.
- Members of the Ethiopian parliament expressed frustration over persistent failures of the Ministry of Mines, highlighting its inability to develop a mining policy, market value chain strategy or enforce regulations. Habtamu Tegegn, Minister of Mines, was absent during the parliamentary discussion.
- The Ethiopian Ministry of Defense denied rumours that circulated on social media stating that a military helicopter crashed in Bahir Dar, clarifying that the temporary suspension of civilian flights was due to routine air force training exercises.
- The Ministry confirmed that no helicopter incidents occurred during the military drills, which concluded without any issues, and normal flight operations have since resumed.
Regional Situation (per 18 November)
- Security concerns are rising in Eastern Sudan following the deployment of two Eritrea-backed militia groups in Kassala State aligned with Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the fight against RSF.
- The establishment of six military training camps in Eritrea by various armed groups from Eastern Sudan and Darfur has raised concerns about further escalation of the Sudan conflict. Experts fear that this may lead to tribal polarisation increasing regional interest in eastern Sudan due to geostrategic importance.
- Preliminary results of presidential elections in Somaliland which was held on 13 November show the victory of Waddani Party, led by Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Irro, securing 64.49% of total votes.
- Ethiopia commended Somaliland for carrying out “free and democratic elections”, in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
International Situation (per 18 November)
- The UN Security Council (SC) is set to vote on a draft resolution urging the RSF and SAF to stop hostilities and allow deliveries of aid in Sudan. The draft resolution has been put forward by the UK and Sierra Leone and is scheduled for a vote today.
- The UN SC has extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until November 2025, urging both Sudan and South Sudan to fully support the mission and work towards peace and stability in the disputed region.
- President of the Tigray Regional Administration, Getachew Reda, has called for peaceful relations with Eritrea despite ongoing challenges and presence of Eritrean forces in Tigray.
- The UK government has announced a £113 million aid package to Sudan, doubling its previous commitment, in response to the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing civil war and the threat of famine. This aid aims to support over a million people affected by Sudan’s conflict.
Links of interest
Khartoum community kitchens collapse,leaving thousands facing famine
South Darfur governor sacks 70 tribal leaders over alleged RSF ties
WFP appeals for safe passage of aid convoys through Sudan
Sudan conflict deaths ‘substantially underreported’: study
Rehabilitation cast aside as Endowment Fund squabble swallows Tigray
Audit report sheds light on “frightening” corruption, negligence in mining sector
Ethiopia’s Defense Ministry Denies Helicopter Crash Reports in Bahir Dar as Misleading
Eritrea-backed militias deploy in eastern Sudan
Eritrea military training camps raise concerns about security in eastern Sudan
Abdirahman Cirro’s Path to Leadership as Somaliland’s Next President
X: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Somaliland denounces Mogadishu official’s comments on elections and sovereignty
Sudan: Vote on a Draft Resolution
L’intervista. «L’Italia è nel futuro del Tigrai, ma le truppe eritree bloccano la pace»
UK aid budget to Sudan set to double amid famine fears
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