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.
The six men – four Libyans and two Eritreans – exploited Sub-Saharan Africans seeking to cross the Mediterranean across Libya. The sanctions, which went into immediate effect on Thursday 7 June, will freeze their bank accounts and ban them from international travel. These imposed sanctions follow the publication of the book “Human Trafficking and Trauma in the Digital Era. The Ongoing Tragedy of the Trade in Refugees from Eritrea.” (eds. Mirjam van Reisen & Munyaradzi Mawere, Langaa. 2017) which presented the conclusion that Eritrean refugees are trafficked by networks that are led by fellow Eritreans.
In this week’s news highlights: New report on trauma in relation to trust of Eritrean unaccompanied minors; Refugees report systematic coercion to pay for services of UNHCR in Sudan; External actors should not interfere with Somali internal affairs, AU and EU urge; UN warns of grave international humanitarian law violations in Sudan; IOM returnsEthiopians trapped in Yemen; Cyclone in Somaliland causes severe damage, UN focuses on long-term resilience building; Report discusses reasons why Eritrea does not implement ACHPR; Start of Post-Cotonou talks possibly delayed; EU’s new assistance package for migration; UNHCR deeply concerned with developments in Hungary; MEPs’ sharp answers to findings of Frontex Consultative Forum; New European Parliament Resolution on Sudan; Libyan rival leaders agree on election plan.