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Situation in Sudan (per 19 June)
- The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have taken control of the Chevrolet military base in Northern State, near the Sudan-Libya border. Following the RSF’s recent capture of the strategic “Triangle” area at the Libyan-Sudanese-Egyptian border, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) retreated to the Chevrolet base.
- The new territorial gains by RSF raise questions about the SAF’s operational capabilities in the region and could facilitate further RSF advances in El Fasher, North Darfur.
- Children represent 50% of 30 million Sudanese people requiring humanitarian aid and 12 million people displaced, states the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The freezing of humanitarian aid is hindering protection services with only 3% of required funding received so far.
- Sudan’s Prime Minister, Kamil El-Tayib Idris, has announced plans to reopen universities in Khartoum, contingent upon assessing and repairing damage caused by the ongoing conflict that has devastated the education sector. No concrete date for reopening has been set yet.
- The PM also emphasized the need to incorporate lessons on peace and national unity into the curriculum as part of the country’s recovery efforts.
- The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee has expressed strong opposition to the Khartoum state government’s decision to reopen schools, citing the ongoing insecurity, health, and economic crises that threaten the safety of educators and their families.
- The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan reported an alarming increase in the use of heavy weaponry in civilian areas and weaponising of humanitarian aid by both warring factions.
Situation in South Sudan (per 19 June)
- South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has removed Central Equatoria State Governor Gen. Augustino Jadallah Wani, appointing Gen. Rabi Emmanuel as his successor in a decree announced on state television. No official reason for the dismissal was given yet.
- Over 4,000 weapons were handed over by civilians in Warrap State amid disarmament efforts. President Kiir declared a state of emergency in Warrap State earlier this month together with a disarmament initiative.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 19 June)
- Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, President of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration, emphasized the critical need to document the atrocities committed during the two-year conflict in Tigray, calling for justice and accountability to ensure such events are not forgotten.
- Speaking at a forum organized by the Tigray Genocide Inquiry Commission, he highlighted the importance of preserving evidence to facilitate future accountability and prevent similar crimes.
- The Ethiopian Health Professionals Association (EHPA) has been suspended by the Authority for Civil Society Organizations, with the EHPA’s president, Yonatan Dagnaw, attributing the decision to the association’s support for a nationwide strike by health workers.
- Dagnaw contends that the suspension has been politically motivated, as the association has consistently advocated for health professionals’ rights and called for government accountability regarding their demands.
Regional & International Situation (per 19 June)
- Eritrea’s Ambassador to the UN, Sophia Tesfamariam, introduced a draft resolution aimed at establishing 4 December as the “International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures”.
- “Unilateral coercive measures, commonly cloaked in the misleading language of “sanctions”, are deployed, not as instruments of justice […] but as tools of political and economic compulsion”, said Tesfamariam in her speech.
- Morocco and Ethiopia signed a military cooperation agreement, aimed at enhancing collaboration between the two nations, establishing a joint military commission, and promoting stability and security. The cooperation focuses on areas such as staff training, joint exercises, and military health initiatives.
- Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has inaugurated the National Consultation Forum in Mogadishu, aimed at fostering national unity and addressing key political issues.
- While the forum seeks to promote direct elections and enhance democratic practices, some opposition parties have been critical and chose not to participate, citing that not all conditions have been met.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 19 June)
- At least 60 people went missing after two recent shipwrecks off the coast of Libya, informed IOM. Missing persons include six Eritreans, three women and three children, as well as Sudanese, Egyptian and Pakistani nationals. IOM urged to enhance search and rescue efforts.
- Over 86,000 people have entered Sudan from South Sudan since April this year due to escalating violence and instability in the latter, according to the UNHCR.
- This influx, which includes around 45,000 South Sudanese refugees and over 41,000 returning Sudanese citizens, is straining already depleted resources in Sudan, particularly in White Nile State, which is already hosting a significant number of IDPs.
- Ahead of the World Refugee Day, which is annually celebrated on 20 June, civil society organizations called for urgent action to protect children in Sudan and South Sudan as they face multiple crises including conflict-related violence, food insecurity, and reduced humanitarian aid.
- The UNHCR announced significant job cuts, eliminating around 3,500 positions, due to a drastic reduction in humanitarian funding, which threatens essential services for millions of refugees.
- This downsizing will result in a 30 percent decrease in global personnel costs and has already impacted critical programs, prompting the agency to seek collaboration with other organizations to mitigate the effects of these financial constraints.
- Around 1,300 Sudanese refugees who had been stranded for weeks at the border area between Sudan and Libya arrived in Kufra, Libya, on Monday.
Links of interest
Northern State desert base falls to RSF
UN OCHA: Today’s top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Burkina Faso
Sudan government orders the reopening of universities in Khartoum
UN fact-finding mission says Sudan conflict escalating, aid weaponised
Kiir dismisses Central Equatoria governor Jadallah
Over 4,000 guns surrendered in Warrap’s Tonj East
Ethiopia Court jails man to seven years for “defaming gov’t, disseminating pro-Fano messages”
Morocco, Ethiopia sign military cooperation agreement; set up joint military commission
Somalia launches National Consultation Forum to address constitution, electoral reform
IOM Reports 60 Migrants Missing in Two Deadly Shipwrecks off Libya
Over 86,000 flee to Sudan from South Sudan since April, UN Says
Statement – Solidarity with the Children of Sudan and South Sudan
Funding cuts threaten refugee programs worldwide
بعد معاناة على الحدود.. وصول لاجئين سودانيين إلى الكفرة الليبية
Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.