News Highlights: Foundation calls for response to atrocities by Eritrea, Reports of clashes at Eritrean border, Legal challenge to UK’s Rwanda plan

In this week’s News Highlights: Foundation for Human Rights calls for immediate response to ‘atrocity crimes’ in Eritrea; Clashes at the border between TDF and Eritrean armies; Eritrean refugees in Amhara camps threatened; Gondar University replies to BBC allegations of covering evidences of mass murders in Tigray; IFRC secretary general calls for  a scale-up of humanitarian assistance in the Horn; 44 migrants and refugees drown off the coast of Western Sahara; Multiple rescues at sea; Legal action against UK Home Secretary plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda; More than 20 people missing off the Canary Island; Migrants and refugees arbitrarily detained near the front lines in Ukraine; 2,500 migrants and refugees detained in conditions unfavourable to mental health in Lithuania; Fire in migrant camp previously criticised for its poor conditions in Cyprus; Businessman arrested in the Ballearic Islands for exploiting migrants and refugees; 90 young migrants and refugees evicted; 5 human smugglers sentenced to jail in the UK; Eritrean refugee found hanged in a trailer in France; Opening of the COP15 of the UNCCD as Africa suffers worst droughts; The Human Right Council votes to increase scrutiny on Russian abuses in the war, Eritrea and China vote against.

Horn Highlights: Foundation announces legal action on Eritrea, Witnesses say Amhara forces are hiding atrocity evidence, Prisoners tortured in Sudan

In this week’s Horn Highlights: Foundation announces legal action on Eritrea in 10 May press conference; Amhara security forces hiding evidence of ethnic cleansing, say witnesses; Aid flow to Tigray remains trickle; CPJ calls for the release of journalists in Ethiopia who could face death penalty; UN’s Bachelet condemns religious violence in Ethiopia; Civilian casualties in Oromia; Eritrea-Tigray rivalry role in famine; Analysts warn resumption of Ethiopia conflict imminent; Rock-hewn churches at risk; Tigrayans call for release of prisoners; GERD cyberattack; Lawyers accuse Sudanese authorities of torturing prisoners; Sudan opposition group refuses to participate in UN-led dialogue; Eritrean Press Agency claims Russia sent drones to Eritrea in exchange for naval base; Eritrean asylum seeker challenges Swiss return of Eritreans with torture story; Somalia set to elect president of 15 May; and Pope to visit South Sudan in July. 

Ecological and political factors are stacking the deck against the population in Ethiopia amidst severe drought

On 19 April, the World Food Program announced that the number of people pushed to hunger by the severe drought in the Horn of Africa could rise from the current 14 million to 20 million by the end of the year. This is the latest in a long list of warnings from various international organisations that have been drawing attention to the agropastoral and food crises caused by this drought  since 2020. But contrary to the 2016-2017 drought in the Horn, sufficient measures have not been put in place upstream, organisations warn. Although the whole region faces alarming consequences, with for example half a million already starving people in Kenya, Ethiopia is currently the most affected country with more than 7 million people already affected by famine. This is due to various climatic, but also political circumstances.