News Highlights: Refugees in Libya protest conditions, EU external funding re-assessed, Meeting Eritrea, Ethiopia and South Sudan

In this week’s news highlights: the EU stands responds to Hungry’s representation of its migration policy; the S&D group deplores the lack of human rights consideration in the EU migration policy; The European Parliament wants to consolidate the EU’s external funding instruments; France arrests more than 60 migrants trying to reach the UK by boat in Calais; Refugees protest against inhumane conditions in Libyan detention centres; Human traffickers profit from returns to Libya; Chad closes its border with Libya; South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea meet in Juba to strengthen their relations; US congress visits Eritrea for the first time in 14 years; and Kenya and Somalia work on peace under the mediation of Ethiopian Prime Minister.

News Highlights: Sudan bans protests, Leaked documents on EU Operation Sophia, video shows abuse in Libya

In this week’s news highlights: Politico publishes leaked documents on EU operation Sophia; Germany confirms communication problems with Libya coast guard; EU-Arab League Summit discusses migration; African Union objects to ‘disembarkation platforms’; Video shows torture for ransom in Libya; Refugees threatened after abuse in Libya detention centre; State of emergency and protest ban in Sudan; Emergency state Sudan used to legitimise excessive force; Eritrea ranks high on slavery list; and militant guarding of Eritrea’s capital Asmara reported.

Press Release: Addressing criminalisation of refugees and impunity of human trafficking

As EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss migration, experts denounced current EU migration policy as ineffective in tackling human trafficking and undermining migrant and refugee rights. A public hearing took place in the European Parliament today on the impact of EU external action in the Horn of Africa and addressing the criminalisation of refugees and impunity of human trafficking.