News Highlights: Italian MP visits Ethiopia and Eritrea, Amnesty to challenge Hungarian law in court; UNHCR evacuates refugees from Libya

In this week’s news highlights: Italian PM visits Ethiopia and Eritrea; nearly 10,000 newly registered refugees in Ethiopia last month; Eritrea elected to the UN Human Rights Council; IOM report on reducing vulnerabilities of migrants; new “peace ministry” in Ethiopia; almost half of South Sudanese face starvation says Save the Children; Eritrean, Ethiopian and Somali politicians meet; migrants in Italian model town to be transferred away; Amnesty International challenges new Hungarian law in court; EU leaders want to cooperate with Egypt on migration; aid organisations warn against scapegoating migrants and not saving lives; UN human rights expert criticizes Algeria and Niger for alleged migrants’ rights abuses; and the UNHCR evacuates refugees from Libya.

Reactions to the European Commission’s proposal to upgrade Frontex

The European Commission’s plan to upgrade Frontex from a European agency with 1 500 employees into a complimentary European border and coast guard with 10 000 armed guards by 2020 has caused mixed reactions in the European Union. Under the proposal, €12.6 bn would be allocated to Frontex between 2019 and 2027, with the agency supporting national border patrols as well as coast guards and operating at the command of national authorities.