News Highlights: Witnesses speak about massacre in Aksum, Rescue boat lands in Sicily, Frontex called to suspend operations in Greece
19 Feb 2021

News Highlights: Witnesses speak about massacre in Aksum, Rescue boat lands in Sicily, Frontex called to suspend operations in Greece

by | posted in: Africa, Asylum Seekers, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa region, Human Rights abuses, IOM, Libya, Migration, Refugee Camps, Sexual abuse, Sudan, Trauma, UNHCR, United Nations | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrean refugees detained in Addis Ababa; Fighting reported around Mekelle; Witnesses speak to AP about massacre in Aksum, Ethiopia; Sudanese refugees given go-ahead by US court for case against BNP Paribas for complicity in genocide through financing; President of Rwanda urges the UN Security Council to intervene in the Tigray conflict; UAE is dismantling Assab base, in Eritrea; Front-LEX and the Legal Centre Lesvos call Frontex to suspend its operations in the Aegean; Open Arms rescued 146 migrants in Central Mediterranean, 22 missing in other boat accident; Asylum seekers face difficulties in northern Europe welfare states; Libyans leaving for Europe on the rise; UNDP increases focus on digital projects; Young people to be involved in crisis management and humanitarian aid. 

For frequent updates about the situation in the Horn, please see the EEPA Horn situation reports. 

European Parliament debates the situation in Tigray, urges humanitarian access and investigation of crimes
12 Feb 2021

European Parliament debates the situation in Tigray, urges humanitarian access and investigation of crimes

by | posted in: Abiy Ahmed, Asylum Seekers, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Human Rights abuses, Malnutrition, Migration, Refugee Camps, Starvation, UNHCR | 0

On Thursday 11 February, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen met in a plenary session, debating on “The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia”. The Commissioner opened the debate underlying that the European Union (EU) is deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region. The EU is calling for the end of hostilities, full humanitarian access to be exercised independently from the Ethiopian administration, and investigations over alleged human rights violations. MEPs focused largely on the severe human rights abuses, presence of Eritrean soldiers on the ground in Tigray and the EU approach to the conflict.

News Highlights Extra (EN/DE/FR/IT): Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region/Konflikt in der äthiopischen Region Tigray/ Le conflit dans la région éthiopienne du Tigray/ Conflitto nella regione del Tigray in Etiopia
18 Nov 2020

News Highlights Extra (EN/DE/FR/IT): Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region/Konflikt in der äthiopischen Region Tigray/ Le conflit dans la région éthiopienne du Tigray/ Conflitto nella regione del Tigray in Etiopia

by | posted in: Africa, African Union, Asylum Seekers, Bombing, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hitsats camp, Horn of Africa region, Migration, Refugee Camps, UNHCR, United Nations | 0

On Wednesday 4 November, tensions escalated in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Disputes between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in Tigray and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed led to fighting in the Tigray region and at its borders. As the situation evolves, EEPA is sending extra news highlights on the conflict. Experts emphasize that the international community must urge for de-escalation of the conflict, and urge all parties involved in the conflict to enter into dialogue. African leaders and Church leaders this week took initiatives to assist in peaceful resolutions of the conflict. For details, click here to see the previous highlights extra (11 November 2020). For detailed information, not widely reported in the media, please frequently check for updates on EEPA’s situation reports (17 and 18 November) on the crisis.