News Highlights: Eritrean official declared ‘persona non grata’ in Netherlands, tension Horn of Africa mounts, more Sudanese troops deployed
18 Jan 2018

News Highlights: Eritrean official declared ‘persona non grata’ in Netherlands, tension Horn of Africa mounts, more Sudanese troops deployed

by | posted in: Africa, African Union, EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Human Trafficking, Migration, Refugees in the EU, Sudan, Weekly news highlights | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Horn of Africa tension update; Sudanese officials have deep-rooted collusion with human traffickers, says Sudanese media organisation; Protests in Sudan met with police violence; Ethiopian opposition leader freed after one year; African high level panel focuses on migration; Dutch government declares head of Eritrean embassy office ‘persona non grata’; ECHR accepts appeals from Sudanese people against Italian police for possibily illegal returns; Hungary proposes taxes over NGOs dealing with migration; 1400 people saved in Mediterranean Sea by Italian coast guard, at least 2 die.

Rising tension in Horn of Africa region
11 Jan 2018

Rising tension in Horn of Africa region

by | posted in: Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa region, Yemen | 0

In the initial weeks of 2018, the Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir announced the closure of the border with Eritrea which was was followed by the deployment of militia forces to the bordering regions. The reason for the border closing has not officially been made clear and Sudan has denied tension between the two countries. This manoeuvre comes just after the declaration of a six-month state of emergency in the Sudanese regions of Kassala and North Kordofan. The official motivation given for the state of emergency  was the Sudanese campaign against the trafficking of human beings, weapons, and drugs and in those border regions.

News Highlights: EU engagement Eritrea failing, leaked document EU-Ethiopia repatriation, EP resolution Sudan
7 Dec 2017

News Highlights: EU engagement Eritrea failing, leaked document EU-Ethiopia repatriation, EP resolution Sudan

by | posted in: African Union, EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Politics, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Human Trafficking, Libya, Migration, Refugees in the EU, Sudan, United Nations, Weekly news highlights | 0

In this week’s news highlights: EU attempts at engagement with Eritrea “producing little[…] in terms of tangible results”; concern over 700 people that may soon be deported from the United States to Eritrea; Ethiopia and EU may soon sign a deal on repatriation, according to leaked draft document; EU-AU summit ends without agreement on forced returns statement; European Commission sets out key points for combatting human trafficking; EU Parliament adopted a resolution on freedom of expression in Sudan; Amnesty International press release on Libya; and some German pilots refuse to repatriate Afghan people.