EEPA is sending extra news highlights on the conflict in the Horn of Africa: previous highlights extra and EEPA’s situation reports on the Horn crisis.
In this week’s news highlights: Amnesty International reports on massacre in Aksum; EU Special Envoy warns situation in Tigray is out of control, urges for mandate to negotiate humanitarian access; Witness report on events in Shimelba refugee camp; Refugees from Benishangul-Gumuz flee to Sudan; Tigrayan peacekeepers in South Sudan fear ethnic targeting; Migration from the HoA to Gulf countries down 73%; Human traffickers arrested in Kufra; Press remarks from the EU High Representative on the situation in Ethiopia; At least 41 deaths in a shipwreck, while 45 others rescued in Central Mediterranean; Illegal pushbacks from Greek island reported; Scrutiny over private contractor hotels hosting asylum seekers in the UK; MSF calls to ensure vaccinations for undocumented migrants in EU; New UN Network centre on migration in Turkey; Open letter to G20 for financial support to developing countries amidst COVID-19.
For frequent updates about the situation in the Horn, please see the EEPA Horn situation reports.
On Thursday 11 February, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen met in a plenary session, debating on “The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia”. The Commissioner opened the debate underlying that the European Union (EU) is deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region. The EU is calling for the end of hostilities, full humanitarian access to be exercised independently from the Ethiopian administration, and investigations over alleged human rights violations. MEPs focused largely on the severe human rights abuses, presence of Eritrean soldiers on the ground in Tigray and the EU approach to the conflict.