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 28 November)
- Two drones targeted a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) artillery base in Atbara, River Nile State, following earlier drone strikes on the local airport, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) suspected of being behind these assaults.
- 3 airports in Sudan have been authorised to be used for the delivery of humanitarian aid by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudan’s Transitional Council.
- Airports in Kadugli, South Kordofan, El Obeid, North Kordofan, and Damazin, Blue Nile state, will be used by UN agencies as hubs for storing the aid, with convoys transporting support to various localities.
- A cargo flight carrying essential medical supplies, including antibiotics, arrived at Damazine Airport, Blue Nile state, on Monday, marking the first humanitarian flight to the region since the conflict began 19 months ago, reports Save the Children. Supplies will be distributed to hospitals and clinics.
- The escalating violence in El Fasher, North Darfur, has resulted in over 400,000 people being displaced since April, with many people finding refuge in Zamzam camp. El Fasher is still under siege, reports UN OCHA, with a very limited number of humanitarian partners on the ground.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 28 November)
- The suspension of three human rights organizations by the Ethiopian federal government has been condemned by Amnesty International. It states that the bans, based on vague allegations of political bias and actions against national interests, are used as a means to suppress voices of the civil society .
- This statement comes after the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations suspended the licence of three organisations – Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) in the past two weeks.
- “The suspension of these three prominent human rights organizations highlights a growing crackdown on civic space, compounded by the lack of accountability for recent targeting of human rights defenders”, said Tigere Chagutah from Amnesty International.
- Ongoing security issues in the Raya Kobo district, Amhara region, have led to the suspension of teaching and learning activities in numerous schools, as reported by teachers and school principals.
- Significant safety concerns, including recent drone attacks and restrictions imposed by Fano militias, have prevented schools from resuming operations, resulting in millions of students in the Amhara region being unable to start their academic year.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ethiopian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on economic policies for the second review of a four-year, $3.4 billion Extended Credit Facility arrangement.
- The agreement highlights that implementation of Ethiopia’s economic reform program, including the transition to a market-determined exchange rate “continues to advance well”.
Situation in Somalia (per 28 November)
- A Somali court in Mogadishu has issued an arrest warrant for Ahmed Madobe, the recently re-elected leader of Jubaland, on alleged treason charges, reflecting escalating tensions between the Somali federal government and regional governments.
- The federal government claims Madobe’s election was unlawful, while he faces accusations of high treason for allegedly undermining national unity and sharing sensitive information with foreign entities.
- Madobe and his followers have been critical of the direct electoral system that was approved by the Somali Parliament on Saturday, fearing it might lead to term extensions. The universal suffrage model will introduce direct election of their president by Somali citizens replacing the indirect voting system.
- The Somali Cabinet approved the 18-member Independent Commission for Electoral and Boundaries on Tuesday.
- The Somali Federal Parliament endorsed the Commission on Wednesday, in a session underscored with a tumultuous atmosphere and tensions among MPs.
Regional Situation (per 28 November)
- Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the leader of SAF, met with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Asmara for a one-day working visit on Tuesday. Al-Burhan pledged to defeat and eliminate militias and resolve the ongoing conflict in Sudan during the meeting.
- The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) engaged in discussions with a Kenyan military delegation led by General Charles Kahariri in Addis Ababa, focusing on strengthening military collaboration and enhancing security and stability in the region.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 28 November)
- Libyan soldiers have apprehended over 300 migrants and refugees attempting to cross the desert en route to the Mediterranean Sea, as shown in photos released on social media by the 444 Brigade, a militia group operating under the Libyan army.
- The images showed migrants and refugees – men, women, and children – sitting in rows surrounded by armed militia. The information available does not specify when exactly the soldiers rounded up the group of refugees and migrants.
- Egypt is preparing to ratify a new asylum law transferring the responsibility for managing refugees from the UNHCR to the Egyptian government.
- Observers and experts argue it lacks essential protections and could lead to human rights violations, as it imposes strict conditions on refugees and allows for their expulsion without regard for their safety.
- A boat carrying 25 migrants and refugees sank off the coast of Tripoli, Libya, with only three people rescued by a fisherman, while many others, including women and children, went missing last Thursday.
- The boat, which had set off from Tripoli the previous night, began taking on water, leading the driver to abandon the vessel before it sank.
Links of interest
Drones hit Sudan army base in Atbara
Sudan’s Burhan allows UN to use three airports for aid delivery
Today’s top news: Lebanon, Syria, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Chad, Myanmar, Ukraine
Ethiopia: Suspension of three human rights organizations highlights growing crackdown on civic space
Conflict, security concerns force mass school closures in Amhara’s Raya Kobo district
IMF Reaches Staff Level Agreement on the Second Review of the Extended Credit Facility for Ethiopia
Somali Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Jubaland Leader
Somalia Launches Direct Election Initiative Amid Political Turmoil
Somalia’s bicameral House endorses new direct election law amid dispute
Sudan’s Burhan vows to crush RSF, end ongoing war
Ethiopia, Kenya senior defense leaders discuss cooperation in military affairs
Over 300 irregular migrants detained in Libya after arrest in desert
Egypt: New asylum law could badly impact refugee rights
Boat carrying 25 immigrants sinks off Tripoli coast
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.