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 12 September)
- 625 violent incidents affecting healthcare have been carried out across Sudan since the start of the war, resulting in the deaths of 159 health workers and the arrest of 77 others, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) being responsible for nearly two-thirds of the incidents, reports Insecurity Insight.
- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has resumed its operations in Khartoum, marking the first UN agency to reopen their office since the start of Sudan’s conflict.
- As over two million people are now returning to the city, returnees face significant challenges, including damaged homes as well as limited access to essential services. The IOM office in Khartoum aims to serve as an inter-agency hub in support of recovery initiatives.
- Over 75% of school-aged children in Sudan are currently out of school due to the ongoing conflict, with 13 million out of 17 million eligible children not receiving an education, reports Save the Children. 55% of schools are closed with many of the facilities being occupied by internally displaced people (IDPs).
- Atrocity crimes have been carried out against civilians by RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), said the chair of the Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, Mohamed Chande Othman, addressing the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, calling for an end to the cycle of impunity.
Situation in South Sudan (per 12 September)
- Over 30 aid workers have been abducted so far in South Sudan in 2025, including one who died in captivity. Analysts warn that the rise in ransom kidnappings represents a troubling new trend that could jeopardize future humanitarian efforts.
- The number of aid workers kidnapped in South Sudan has more than doubled this year, raising significant concerns about their safety and the disruption of essential humanitarian services.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 12 September)
- Getachew Reda, the former head of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA), has been reportedly tasked by Ethiopian Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed to facilitate the return of 700,000 displaced Tigrayans to Wolkait in western Tigray, which is controlled by the Amhara administration.
- Reda, who currently serves as an advisor to the PM on East African affairs, has reportedly announced in July, that he was actively working to ensure the return of IDPs to Wolkait. The details of this process remain unclear.
- Ethiopia has officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Tuesday, 9 September. The ceremony, held in Guba, was attended by several leaders from the Horn of Africa and the Caribbean, including Djibouti’s president and Kenya’s president.
- Being the largest hydropower project in Africa, which boasts an installed capacity of over 5,000 MW and an annual output of 15,700 GWh, GERD is equivalent to three medium-sized nuclear power plants.
- Ethiopia is reportedly producing advanced suicidal drones for military combat and surveillance purposes, stated Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in and interview with the state media.
- Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, President of the TIRA, has expressed concerns about the current instability in Ethiopia, stating that “there is a visible cloud of war”, and urging the federal government to fully implement the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
- During a forum with Tigrayan leaders, Werede highlighted the region’s increasing vulnerability, while calling for respect for Tigray’s sovereignty and the return of IDPs.
Regional & International Situation (per 12 September)
- 27 armed cattle herders from Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan, have been detained by Ethiopian authorities for allegedly crossing the border illegally, informed the South Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Negotiations for their release are underway through the South Sudanese embassy in Ethiopia.
- Egypt submitted an official letter to the UN Security Council, condemning Ethiopia’s finalisation of GERD as violations of international law and asserting that the project undermines the interests of downstream nations like Egypt and Sudan.
- Several South Sudanese people, mainly female tea sellers, have reportedly been detained in multiple locations across Sudan, reports Edmund Yakani, head of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), urging authorities in Sudan and South Sudan to address this issue.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 12 September)
- The Council of Europe has warned its 46 member states against outsourcing asylum seekers processes to third countries, citing risks of torture, arbitrary detention, and threats to life.
- This caution comes as several European nations, including Italy, have begun transferring asylum responsibilities to countries like Albania, raising concerns about the adequacy of legal protection and the potential for human rights violations.
- A group of Eritreans in Luxembourg is calling for immediate government intervention to address a growing housing crisis, as many recognized refugees are being forced out of asylum housing facilities by the National Reception Office and are left in precarious living situations.
- EU member states are preparing to discuss a revised interpretation of the “safe third country” concept, which would allow for greater flexibility in sending asylum seekers to countries outside the EU without fully assessing their claims.
- The proposed changes would broaden the criteria for establishing a connection to a safe third country, potentially including factors like family ties and cultural links, while also introducing provisions for the transfer of unaccompanied minors under specific legal conditions.
- The NGO Mediterranean Saving Humans has been fined €10,000 and had its ship detained for 60 days after it disembarked ten migrants and refugees in Trapani, Italy, contrary to Italian authorities’ orders to use Genoa as the designated port.
- The organization justified its decision to dock in Trapani, citing the peoples’ exhaustion and the dangerous conditions they faced at sea, including high waves.
- UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to potentially impose visa suspensions on countries that refuse to accept rejected asylum seekers, aiming to adopt a tougher stance on migration.
Links of interest
Attacks on Health Care in Sudan
IOM Resumes Operations in Khartoum, Over 2 Million Return Amidst Sudan War
More than three quarters of Sudan’s children out of school as new academic year begins
Sudan’s people tortured and killed in ‘slaughterhouses’, rights probe says
As fighting escalates, kidnappings of aid workers surge in South Sudan
Getachew Reda à l’offensive sur le Wolkait
News: Ethiopia’s GERD equals energy of ‘three nuclear power plants’: Webuild
Ethiopia Inaugurate Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Ethiopian PM Says “We Are Producing High Number Of Suicide Drones”
Ethiopia jails 27 South Sudanese youth
Egypt sends letter to UN Security Council on latest developments in Eastern Nile Basin
Activist urges lawmakers to address detention of South Sudanese in Sudan
Council of Europe says asylum policies may put lives in danger
Eritrean refugee collective presses government over dire living conditions
New EU compromise text widens scope of ‘safe third country’ concept
Italy: NGO rescue ship fined 10,000 euros
UK may suspend visas for countries that won’t take back people refused asylum, says Mahmood
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.