News highlights: Eritrea refuses COVID-19 medical supplies, Italy declares ports unsafe, EU’s €15.6 billion COVID-19 plan for developing countries
10 Apr 2020

News highlights: Eritrea refuses COVID-19 medical supplies, Italy declares ports unsafe, EU’s €15.6 billion COVID-19 plan for developing countries

by | posted in: COVID-19, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Union, Italy, Mediterranean Sea, Migration, Refugee Camps | 0

In this week’s news highlights: COVID-19 supplies refused by Eritrea; Eritrean refugees in Hitsats camp in danger should the camp close – closure delayed due to coronavirus; Somalia on critical juncture to halting COVID-19; HRW urges Ethiopia for justice in deadly violence in October protests; Italy declares own ports unsafe; EU provides more than €15.6 billion to curb COVID-19; Asylum-seekers and migrants killed and abused along Greek-Turkish border, says Amnesty; Malta quaratines refugee camp due to COVID-19 cases; Second Greek refugee camp in lockdown; UNHCR needs $255 million for Africa COVID-19 response; IGAD COVID-19 summit; Story from the slums of Kenya; Libyan war continues; Tunisia makes the first step towards helping migrants in the context of COVID-19; And migrants and refugees launch hunger strike Tunisia.

The EU’s lack of a unified voice leads to scapegoating of migrants in some countries
27 Mar 2020

The EU’s lack of a unified voice leads to scapegoating of migrants in some countries

by | posted in: COVID-19, Hungary, Italy, Schengen area, US | 0

The European Commission (EC) decided to apply a temporary restriction for non-essential travel from third countries into the European Union or in other words, closed the Schengen external borders. The EU hoped that the decision would enable the lifting of internal border controls. However, such controls have already been applied by several member states in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. Some have criticized the EU’s lack of a unified response and clear message; and some countries, like Hungary and Italy, justify their anti-migration policies by using the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: border control to stop the virus or migration?
28 Feb 2020

Coronavirus: border control to stop the virus or migration?

by | posted in: European Politics, European Union, Italy, Migration, Uncategorized | 0

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak appears to strengthen xenophobia and refuels the migration debate, especially as right-wing politicians try to link the novel Coronavirus to African migrants and refugees coming to Europe. The virus has already infected more than 500 citizens in Europe at the time of writing and new cases are reported every day. In order to prevent the outbreak of the novel virus from becoming a pandemic, travel restrictions have been put in place. Flights to China, Iran and South Korea are cancelled by several countries. Towns in Italy have been ‘put in quarantine’, closed off from the outside world. Some politicians and experts argue stricter travel restrictions are necessary within the Schengen area and want to increase border control. Others state that a travel ban would not help to fight the virus and accuse populist parties of using the outbreak to promote anti-immigration policies.