News Highlights: Russia visits Eritrea, 200.000 refugees enslaved in Libya, EU ministers ponder controversial migration reforms

by K. Smits
Posted on January 27, 2023January 27, 2023
Abiy Ahmed

In this week’s news highlights: Russian foreign minister visits Eritrea; Ethiopian PM visits Sudan; Eritrean troops announce withdrawal from Tigray, but forces remain; Reform of regional administration in Tigray proposed; Military exercises and weapons inflow in Ethiopia; Ethiopian Orthodox Church in tension as three Archbishops break away; Fighting continues in Oromia; Experts warn against normalisation of relations with Ethiopia and Eritrea; IDPs in Abbi Adiy suffer lack of food and medicine; US Airstrikes in Somalia; ICC Prosecutor urges Sudan to cooperate in Darfur trial; Horn of Africa drought forecast for 2023; Digital education in East Africa; 200.000 refugees and migrants estimated enslaved and tortured in Libya; EU migration reforms start with demands for walls and externalisation; EU Foreign Affairs Council yields nothing on Ethiopia; Greece boasts of 260.000 refugees and migrants halted; Irish rescue ship prepares for mission; and UNODC warns victims of trafficking less often identified.

by S. Fons
Posted on September 27, 2019September 27, 2019
Asylum Seekers

On September 23, the interior ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Finland and Malta agreed on a temporary and voluntary scheme to divide migrants that arrive or are saved from the Mediterranean Sea among the five countries, outside of an EU framework. The proposal aims at relieving Italy and Malta from the high number of migrants and refugees that are arriving at their ports and moves away from the actions of the previous Italian government led by Matteo Salvini, who forbade several rescue boats to dock in Italy. The five countries hope that the scheme may set up an EU-wide relocation scheme that can increase the efficiency of resettling those rescued at sea.