Situation in Sudan (per 26 April)

  • The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, called on the warring parties in Sudan to immediately stop fighting. During his address at the Security Council, he urged for an “all-out effort for peace”.
  • Guterres further confirmed that the UN established a hub in Port Sudan in support of peace and delivery of humanitarian assistance.
  • Eritrean refugees are reportedly being forcibly returned from Sudan to Eritrea, which Tesfanews, the official outlet of the Eritrean regime, has called an ‘evaluation’. Observers are concerned that the refugees will be mobilised for indefinite national service or end up in prison.
  • Eritreans, who flee a dictatorship, try to move towards Kassala. The costs of the buses have become prohibitive and the passage through the many checkpoints, controlled by the paramilitaries of the RSF, is risky for refugees who lack documentation as they can be targeted for extortion and abuse.
  • Reports further show that networks of human traffickers and smugglers that are preying on refugees, who are squeezed between the fighting, are worsening the situation for refugees in Sudan.
  • Prices for the transportation costs for people fleeing from Khartoum to Kassala are increasing.
  • The prices of fuel and basic necessities are increasing very fast, while there is a large shortage of cash. The humanitarian situation is close to catastrophic, taking into account the fact that most of the capital’s hospitals are inaccessible.
  • Other reports confirm that the bus drivers increased the prices also to other border crossings with Egypt and Port Sudan.
  • A member of the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum was killed while he was going to his office on April 24 evening, said Sudan Tribune citing a statement from the Sudanese army.
  • Port Sudan Airport has been utilised by countries such as Qatar and Jordan, while the United States, Britain, Germany, and France have relied on the Wadi Seidna military air base.
  • Due to the ongoing fighting in Sudan, the United Nations has provisionally moved its 772 international staff and INGOs from Khartoum, El Geneina and, and Zalingei to neighbouring countries, said Sudan Tribune.
  • Thousands of people including babies and elders are reportedly stuck at the Argeen border to cross from Sudan into Egypt, without food and water.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 26 April)

  • Chief of Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), Merro Diriba said that the negotiations that will take place between the Ethiopian government and OLA “will be as simple as the one with Tigray”, according to Oromia Media Network, OMN.
  • OLA chief confirmed his delegation had travelled to Zanzibar (Tanzania) but did not mention the names of the negotiators.
  • He also confirmed that Norway and Kenya will “fully participate” in the negotiation.
  • In response to the question on what OLA expects from the negotiation, he said “We expect to reach a peace agreement that addresses the political demands of the Oromo people.”
  • He also mentioned there will be ‘give and take’ in the negotiation but the basic demands of the Oromo people will not be compromised.
  • Ethiopia State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, conferred with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Dr. Annette Weber, today.
  • She said she hopes the message of peace can be heard loud and clear by everybody, and that the EU is ready to further strengthen relations with Ethiopia.
  • The special representative is one of those awarded by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on April 23 for contributions to the peace process between the federal government and Tigray.
  • The Ethiopian Parliament endorsed a bill on 25 April to amend the Defense Forces Act to include students in voluntary national military service. This is for students who have completed their education.
  • The new bill allows the Ethiopian Ministry of Defense to recruit students who are above 18 years old and have finished their high school or university educations into the national service, says to Dima Nogo, chair of the Foreign Relations committee at the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR).
  • After taking military training, the students are expected to provide military service for two years.
  • If the students want to be members of the regular defence force or the national reserve force, the Ministry of Defense will ensure that their related benefits and rights are guaranteed.

Situation in Tigray (per 26 April)

  • Pres. Getachew Reda of Tigray held discussions in Mekelle yesterday with the US special envoy to the Horn of African Mike Hammer, and US Amb. Tracy Ann Jacobson.
  • They discussed: implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement; Justice and accountability for crimes; and challenges in the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Regional Situation (per 26 April)

  • Citizens of 23 counties have crossed into Ethiopia via the Metema route towards Gonder, due to the conflict in Sudan. Turkish citizens evacuated from Sudan reached the border of Ethiopia.
  • The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) strongly condemned the violation of the ceasefire agreement in Sudan by both parties of the conflict.
  • Women of Tigray, a non-governmental organisation, issued a statement calling on the African Union and the United Nations for ending the conflict in Sudan.

Links of interest

Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan – Security Council, 9310th meeting

UN evacuates staff from Sudan, but Perthes remains in Khartoum

Egyptian embassy staff member killed in Khartoum

Twitter: Tesfanews

Laboratorio attaccato dalle milizie: a Khartoum si teme contaminazione biologica

Twitter: Sara Creta on migrants stranded at the Sudan- Egypt border

በመንግስትና በኦሮሞ ነፃነት ሰራዊት መካከል በታንዛኒያ የሚደረገው ውይይት እስከወሩ መጨረሻ ሊቀጥል እንደሚችል ተነገረ።

ASDailyScoop: Ethiopia introduces voluntary national military service for students

Ambassador Mesganu Arga confers with #EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa

Getachew Reda on his meeting with US special envoy to the horn, Mike Hammer

CEPO condemns Gen Hemeti and Burhan over violations of 72 hours ceasefire in Sudan

Turkish foreign minister discusses evacuation of citizens from #Sudan with #Ethiopia

Twitter: Women of Tigray calling for ending conflict in Sudan

በሱዳን ያለውን ግጭት በመሸሽ የተለያዩ ሀገራት ዜጎች ወደ ኢትዮጵያ እየገቡ ነው

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