UN Security Council imposes sanctions on six people involved in human trafficking and smuggling in Libya

The six men – four Libyans and two Eritreans – exploited Sub-Saharan Africans seeking to cross the Mediterranean across Libya. The sanctions, which went into immediate effect on Thursday 7 June, will freeze their bank accounts and ban them from international travel. These imposed sanctions follow the publication of the book “Human Trafficking and Trauma in the Digital Era. The Ongoing Tragedy of the Trade in Refugees from Eritrea.” (eds. Mirjam van Reisen & Munyaradzi Mawere, Langaa. 2017) which presented the conclusion that Eritrean refugees are trafficked by networks that are led by fellow Eritreans.

The rival leaders of Libya, a departure point for thousands of refugees to Europe, agree to election plan

In a summit in France on Tuesday the 30th of May, the rival factions of Libya, a country with an estimate of 43,113 refugees according to the UN from which 90 percent cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, agreed to hold parliamentary and presidential elections. The summit was hosted by the French president Emmanuel macron, who called the summit ‘historic’. However, others raised critical questions about the breakthrough of the conference.

News Highlights: Sudanese militia demands EU compensation, UNSC plans sanctions against traffickers, Ethiopia’s maritime access

In this week’s news highlights: Sudanese militia RSF demands EU compensation for guarding Libya border; The development nexus in Sudan; Ethiopia’s challenges with port access; UN Security Council considers sanctions for inviduals involved in trafficking and smuggling to Libya- publishes names of six people; Smugglers in Niger do not regret their actions; Prevention and trauma treatment important to decrease humanitarian costs of conflict and insecurity, Dutch minister says; Eritreans and Sudanese second on the list of refugees’ nationalities coming to Europe via Italy; British Official condemns Eritrean religious persecution; French Interior Ministry announces clearing of Paris refugee camps.