News highlights: Hitsats camp shutdown announced in Ethiopia, Attempt to resuscitate EU-Turkey deal, UNHCR bolsters COVID-19 measures
13 Mar 2020

News highlights: Hitsats camp shutdown announced in Ethiopia, Attempt to resuscitate EU-Turkey deal, UNHCR bolsters COVID-19 measures

by | posted in: Abiy Ahmed, Africa, African Union, Asylum Seekers, Detention, ECRE, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Commission, European Politics, European Union, Forced labour, Germany, Greece, Horn of Africa region, Human Rights abuses, Human Trafficking, Libya, Médecins Sans Frontières, Mediterranean Sea, Migration, Netherlands, Refugee Camps, Refugees in the EU, Relocation system, Research, Somalia, The Netherlands, Trafficking, Trauma, Turkey, Unaccompanied Minors, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Nations, Weekly news highlights | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Hitsats refugee camp closure in the Tigray region of Ethiopia; UN cancels meeting on Eritrea due to Coronavirus; EU-funded road project in Eritrea allegedly uses slave labour; Natasja Bijl’s novel tells the story of an Eritrean refugee; Eritrean persecution of Catholics reinvigorated; the collective trauma of Eritrea’s youth; Somali and Kenyan officials meet to discuss border dispute; EU leaders and Erdogan meet to salvage EU-Turkey deal; UNHCR strengthens COVID-19 measures; Concerns about EU’s new Africa strategy highlighted by aid groups; Greece’s decision to hold migrants on war vessel criticized by HRW; Several EU member states offer to take children in from Greece; Call for better living conditions for asylum seekers in the Netherlands; Suspicions that arms keep pouring into Libya despite embargo; Ramtane Lamamra as possible next UN envoy for Libya; And Sudanese refugees in Niger sentenced for fire in camp.

Closure of Hitsats refugee camp in Ethiopia
13 Mar 2020

Closure of Hitsats refugee camp in Ethiopia

by | posted in: Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Refugee Camps | 0

Anonymous sources confirmed that the federal government of Ethiopia ordered the closure of Hitsats refugee camp in Tigray province of Ethiopia. All camp refugees have been asked to relocate to another camp which is already overpopulated and does not have a functioning infrastructure. The government justifies the closure as a ‘budget constraint’, however UNHCR argues that the budget for 2020 was already approved and allocated to the Administration for Refugee & Returnee Affairs (ARRA), a governmental agency which has the mandate over refugees in Ethiopia. Hitsats, as the youngest camp in Tigray region, is currently home to more than 10,000 Eritrean refugees. 

Relationship between EU and AU – less focus on migration and more on investment, trade and climate change
14 Feb 2020

Relationship between EU and AU – less focus on migration and more on investment, trade and climate change

by | posted in: African Union, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Union, Migration, United Nations | 0

The President of the European Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations attended the 33th African Union summit under the theme of ‘Silencing the guns’. European Council President Charles Michel went to the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa to strengthen the relationship between the European Union and the African Union. During Michel’s speech at the official dinner of the AU Summit, he made clear that the relationship with the AU should focus less on migration. Moreover, Michel emphasized the importance of growing partnership between the EU and the AU, including investment, trade and climate change on the African continent.