News Highlights: Resumption of conflict in Tigray, President of AU to meet Putin on food shortages, UK to start Rwanda deportations

In this week’s News Highlights: European Development Days on 21 and 22 June; Resumption of conflict reported between Tigray and Eritrea; Afar People’s Party calls on federal government to respond humanitarian crisis; Weeks of arrests in Ethiopia; Eritrean youngsters hide from conscription; New droughts predicted in the Horn; Ethiopian crackdown on 111 “illegal” media; Europe not doing enough for migrants and refugees in Libya, IOM says; S&D seminar on democracy and human rights in Libya; First group of asylum seekers to be sent back to Rwanda from the UK; Greek government to triple size of wall with Turkey; Trial of 24 people rescuing migrants and refugees in Italy; Ocean Viking ship receives authorization to disembark 294 migrants and refugees in Sicily; Violent pushbacks by Bulgarian authorities; Migrant fruit pickers paying “exploitative and extortionate” fees in UK; Asylum seekers on hunger strike in Poland immigration holding centre; Person run over by a train near Calais; Simplification of the German admission process of Russians in danger; Local revolt blocks a centre for asylum seekers in UK; New government plan to attract graduate migrants in UK; President of the African Union to meet Putin on the food shortages in Africa.

Horn Highlights: Foundation announces legal action on Eritrea, Witnesses say Amhara forces are hiding atrocity evidence, Prisoners tortured in Sudan

In this week’s Horn Highlights: Foundation announces legal action on Eritrea in 10 May press conference; Amhara security forces hiding evidence of ethnic cleansing, say witnesses; Aid flow to Tigray remains trickle; CPJ calls for the release of journalists in Ethiopia who could face death penalty; UN’s Bachelet condemns religious violence in Ethiopia; Civilian casualties in Oromia; Eritrea-Tigray rivalry role in famine; Analysts warn resumption of Ethiopia conflict imminent; Rock-hewn churches at risk; Tigrayans call for release of prisoners; GERD cyberattack; Lawyers accuse Sudanese authorities of torturing prisoners; Sudan opposition group refuses to participate in UN-led dialogue; Eritrean Press Agency claims Russia sent drones to Eritrea in exchange for naval base; Eritrean asylum seeker challenges Swiss return of Eritreans with torture story; Somalia set to elect president of 15 May; and Pope to visit South Sudan in July. 

Ecological and political factors are stacking the deck against the population in Ethiopia amidst severe drought

On 19 April, the World Food Program announced that the number of people pushed to hunger by the severe drought in the Horn of Africa could rise from the current 14 million to 20 million by the end of the year. This is the latest in a long list of warnings from various international organisations that have been drawing attention to the agropastoral and food crises caused by this drought  since 2020. But contrary to the 2016-2017 drought in the Horn, sufficient measures have not been put in place upstream, organisations warn. Although the whole region faces alarming consequences, with for example half a million already starving people in Kenya, Ethiopia is currently the most affected country with more than 7 million people already affected by famine. This is due to various climatic, but also political circumstances.