News Highlights: Eritrea admits its soldiers are in Tigray, Trafficker Kidane sentenced in absentia, 41 dead off the coast of Tunisia
23 Apr 2021

News Highlights: Eritrea admits its soldiers are in Tigray, Trafficker Kidane sentenced in absentia, 41 dead off the coast of Tunisia

by | posted in: Africa, Asylum Seekers, Coast guards, Deportation, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Human Rights abuses, IOM, Italy, Libya, Malnutrition, Migration, Netherlands, Refugee Camps, Starvation, The Netherlands, Unaccompanied Minors, UNHCR, United Nations | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrea acknowledges presence of its soldiers in Tigray – UN indicates no sign of withdrawal; “A Tigrayan womb should never give birth” – a report by Al Jazeera; CARE warns of “potentially catastrophic levels” of food insecure people in Tigray; Escaped human trafficker tried in absentia, leaving survivors disillusioned; MSF reports testimonies of victims from Adwa bus station attack; 41 dead off the coast of Tunisia;  Smugglers in Greece used torture to extract payment; Illegal refugee deportations in EU acknowledged by Serbian court ruling; EU pledges humanitarian aid to Tigray and Ethiopia; An investigation found over 18,000 unaccompanied child migrants disappeared in Europe; Recent wiretap leaks show Libyan indifference in saving migrants and Italy knew, says The Guardian; Salvini to stand trial; and IOM and the Netherlands “COMPASS initiative” partnering with 12 African countries.

News Highlights: Ethiopia states Eritrea will withdraw troops, Ethiopia acknowledges atrocities committed in Tigray, Eritrea to be sanctioned by EU  
26 Mar 2021

News Highlights: Ethiopia states Eritrea will withdraw troops, Ethiopia acknowledges atrocities committed in Tigray, Eritrea to be sanctioned by EU  

by | posted in: Abiy Ahmed, Africa, Coast guards, Deportation, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, France, Horn of Africa region, Human Rights abuses, IOM, Italy, Libya, Malnutrition, Migration, Refugee Camps, Refugees in the EU, Sanctions, UNHCR, United Nations, United States, US | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Ethiopia states Eritrean troops will withdraw; Ethiopian Prime Minister confirms the presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray; Health facilities in Tigray incapable of providing for IDPs; Ethiopian Head of State meets with US representative, Senator Coons, to discuss Tigray; Somali leaders should adopt electoral model, say international partners; New Libyan government introduced to UNSC, while numbers of refugees in detention continue to grow; 60 people feared dead, others rescued off the coast of Libya; EU to sanction four entities and eleven countries, including Eritrea; EU ministers discuss EU-Turkey relations; ‘MED 5’ states ask fellow EU members for more cooperation on migration; Prosecutors recommend  Italian Prime Minister to be tried on charges of migrant kidnapping; French Coast Guard intercepts two vessels; UN launches knowledge-sharing platform on migration.

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.