Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to the movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of universities, research organisations, civil society, and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and across Africa. The Situation Reports can be found here. To receive the situation report in your e-mail, click here. You can unsubscribe at any moment through the link at the bottom of each e-mail.
Situation in Sudan (per 16 January)
- At least 120 people, including children, were killed in shelling in Omdurman’s Dar-Salam area, with the death toll expected to rise as medical supplies are scarce.
- The area which is under the control of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) was attacked on Monday. The report does not specify who is behind the attacks.
- Over 600 grave violations against children have been documented by UNICEF between June and December 2024. It also warns of severe malnutrition affecting hundreds of thousands of children, and emphasizes the urgent need for humanitarian access.
- “UNICEF estimates that 770,000 children under five will suffer from the deadliest form of malnutrition, severe acute malnutrition, in 2025”, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
- Funding requirements to support the humanitarian emergency response in Sudan in 2025 are estimated to be $135 million, according to an appeal by the World Health Organisation (WHO). An additional $51.7 is needed to support emergency plans helping Sudanese refugees who fled the country.
- Nine people were reportedly killed in an attack on Abu Gouta, Al Jazirah state, on Wednesday as violence against residents in the region escalates, with reports of killings, torture, and human rights abuses attributed to both warring sides.
- Reports of widespread human rights violations against civilians in Wad Madani, including torture and extrajudicial killings, emerged after the recent recapture of the city by SAF.
- At least 45 civilians were reportedly executed, and additional violence, including village burnings and abductions, has been documented, raising concerns about a cycle of revenge against those suspected of collaborating with the RSF.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 16 January)
- Ethiopia’s parallel foreign exchange market is experiencing significant fluctuations, with the exchange rate rising to 150 ETB per USD, up from 130 ETB per USD within two weeks, despite government efforts to stabilize the market through ongoing economic reforms.
- In response, commercial banks are intensifying initiatives to attract remittances, such as the “CashGo” mobile app, which has contributed to a 24 percent increase in remittance inflows over the past three months.
- Displaced people affected by the recent earthquakes in Ethiopia struggle to sustain themselves and meet basic needs, including food, water and shelter. The Ethiopian government has been working on relocating affected communities.
- Over $2.2 million in aid was allocated to support those impacted by the crisis in the Afar, Oromia and Amhara regions, according to The Ethiopian Disaster and Risk Management Commission.
- A three-day peaceful protest was organised by the Tsilal Western Tigray Civil Society in Mekelle, Tigray, demanding the immediate return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes.
- Protesters highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by IDPs, including hunger and lack of medical care, while calling for the swift implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).
- The Tigray Interim Regional Administration has recognized the concerns of the protesters, emphasizing the need for the federal government to promptly address these grievances and called on the international community to exert pressure for the full implementation of the CoHA.
Regional & International Situation (per 16 January)
- The cholera outbreak in South Sudan has seen a significant increase in fatalities, with the death toll rising from 274 to 334 in the past month, affecting 28 counties across seven states.
- The South Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Sudanese Ambassador, Isam Mohamed Hassan, to discuss the situation in Wad Madani following its takeover from the RSF, amid reports of atrocities that resulted in the deaths of South Sudanese citizens.
- The South Sudanese officials expressed the need for consular access to the area to provide consular services to South Sudanese nationals and collect facts about the reported incidents.
- The African Union’s fact-finding mission is calling on individuals, civil society, and national human rights institutions to submit reports on human rights violations in Sudan to help comprehensive documentation and assessment of abuses carried out in the context of conflict.
- Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian human rights advocate, has been released after being abducted by three armed men in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Her abduction sparked immediate concern and condemnation by rights groups, calling for the Kenyan government to ensure her safety. Experts say that the number of abductions of Kenyans and of foreigners in Kenya are rising.
- The European Commission has announced an initial €40 million aid package for 2025 to Ethiopia in response to ongoing humanitarian challenges in the country.
Refugee and Migration Situation (per 16 January)
- Funding of $1,5 million was received by UNICEF from the Education Cannot Wait fund in support of educational and psychosocial needs of Sudanese refugee children in Libya.
- Asylum applications in the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland fell by approximately 12% in 2024, totaling just over 1 million initial applications, with Germany remaining the most popular destination despite experiencing a 30.2% decrease in applications, according to the EU Agency for Asylum.
- Irregular migration into the EU decreased by 38% to its lowest point since 2021, although crossings from Belarus and Russia surged by 192%, informed the EU border agency Frontex.
- The European Commission will send its migration envoy, Magnus Brunner, to Greece to discuss the issue of illegal pushbacks following a European Court of Human Rights ruling that Greece illegally deported a Turkish woman.
Links of interest
Sudan shelling kills more than 100 civilians near capital
Children bear the brunt of escalating conflict and famine in Sudan
Sudan and Sudan refugee response: WHO Health Emergency Appeal 2025
Sudan war: Nine dead amid accusations of sexual violence in El Gezira
‘Extrajudicial killings, abductions, and torture follow Sudan army’s victory in Wad Madani’
Report says Ethiopia forces military recruitment, including minors
Ethiopia’s Parallel Forex Rate Surges to 150 ETB, Testing Government Reforms
Exodus continues from Ethiopia earthquake epicenter
Office of the President-Tigray
Cholera deaths jump 274 in South Sudan in past month
South Sudan summons Sudanese envoy over alleged abuses in Wad Madani – Sudan Tribune
Call for Inputs, Submissions, Reports and Documentation of Human Rights Violations in Sudan
Tanzanian activist Maria Tsehai speaks out after being abducted in Nairobi’s Kilimani area
EU provides €40 million in humanitarian aid in Ethiopia
Europe reports drop in asylum applications in 2024
Irregular migration into EU drops sharply in 2024, EU border agency says
EU’s top migration envoy to raise ‘pushbacks’ with Greece
Asylum applications in Netherlands decline for first time in four years
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.