News Highlights: Abiy visits Europe, undocumented deaths on refugee routes in Africa, Eritrean accused of aiding kidnappers on trial in Germany

In this week’s news highlights: At least 18,400 migrants died in Africa since 2014, says AP; Eritrea accuses Germany of “meddling” in its affairs; Sudan and Eritrea to normalize relations: report; social media manipulation could threaten African democracies; trial against alleged Eritrean trafficking gang member; Danish Refugee Council denounces EU-Libya cooperation on migration; almost 100,000 migrant boat arrivals in 2018; Austria not to sign global migration compact; de facto leader of Eritrean church says Patriarch “lost faith”; Germany and the Netherlands to finance Nigerien border force; and French-Italian rivalry could harm Libyan peace process.

Reactions to the European Commission’s proposal to upgrade Frontex

The European Commission’s plan to upgrade Frontex from a European agency with 1 500 employees into a complimentary European border and coast guard with 10 000 armed guards by 2020 has caused mixed reactions in the European Union. Under the proposal, €12.6 bn would be allocated to Frontex between 2019 and 2027, with the agency supporting national border patrols as well as coast guards and operating at the command of national authorities.