Migration and refugee situation (per 17 September)

  • An estimated 750 to 1,000 people gathered in a peaceful protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on 12 September to call for the rights and release of Eritrean refugees held in Benghazi and Tajoura detention centres in Libya. 
  • The protest also urged for safer European migration policies, condemning years of ongoing cooperation with the Libyan coast guard.
  • “We are not calling for open borders or uncontrolled migration. We are asking the EU to ensure that migration policies do not come at the expense of fundamental rights”, said Simon Rezene, member of De Eritrese Gemeenschap.
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a united European response on migration during her annual State of the European Union speech. She further noted that illegal border crossings into the EU had fallen by 55% over the past two years. 
  • Von der Leyen also announced plans for a new European Emergency Response Framework to help the EU react to unusual situations involving mass movements of people at its external borders, and emphasised the need to strengthen Frontex, the EU’s border agency.  
  • More than 3,400 people have fled to the northern coast of Djibouti, escaping the resumption of fighting in Yemen. This influx of people within a few days is putting pressure on Djibouti’s limited resources.
  • At least 125,000 people have been displaced across Yemen since September, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Tens of thousands of them fled to Taiz province, severely straining the resources of the province.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 17 September)

  • The Ethiopian Ministry of Education has announced the temporary relocation of university students from the Tigray universities to other public institutions across Ethiopia citing the growing instability in the region. 
  • Observers raised concerns that the relocation would be dangerous, disruptive and costly and could lead to weakening Tigray’s education.
  • Mekelle University responded to the Ministry’s announcement stating that six out of its seven campuses remain operational and urged for placing students based on “current operational status and demonstrated capacity to provide safe, peaceful and effective education”. 
  • Residents of the Tsagibji and Abergele districts of Wag-Hemra Zone in Amhara Region have been displaced to Sekota City due to ongoing conflict. A lack of adequate resources and worsening drought in Sekota City has displaced some people even further to Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Dessie, and Gondar.
  • A total of 714 fighters from the Amhara Fano National Movement have completed a three-month military training programme, as the group seeks to bolster its presence throughout the region. 
  • A 50% decrease in rainfall across Ethiopia, linked to El Niño, is threatening the country’s main harvest season. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network predicts that this crisis will continue until January 2027, with some households likely to experience emergency situations. 
  • Ethiopia is negotiating a €400 million loan with three Italian banks in order to complete the 1,800-megawatt Koysha hydroelectric dam project, in South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region.

Situation in Sudan (per 17 September)

  • At least 70 people were killed and dozens more remain trapped after a series of adjoining shafts collapsed at the al-Zaraa gold mine in Sudan’s West Kordofan state. 
  • The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) intercepted drones attacks targeting two major infrastructure sites near the Ethiopian border: the Upper Atbara and Setit dam complex in Gedaref state, and the Khashm al-Girba dam in Kassala state.
  • Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seized control of Jabal Kadam, a strategic Sudanese army garrison in Bakori area, east of Kurmuk in the Blue Nile state. The area is crucial because of its proximity to the Ethiopian border and its utility for surveillance purposes. 
  • The African Development Bank has granted around $100 million support to Sudan in order to help the country fund agriculture, public health, and basic services. 
  • Sudan has asked the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to support a domestic political dialogue to address the country’s ongoing war and humanitarian crisis, without the influence of foreign countries. 

International and regional situation (per 17 September)

  • A group of Somali soldiers were recently detained by regional police in Jijiga, in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, while travelling in a convoy. These soldiers were reportedly taking part in a training programme in Galmudug, Somalia, funded by Saudi Arabia. 
  • The Central Bank of Eritrea has issued a strict directive requiring all citizens and organisations to deposit all their cash holdings in commercial banks otherwise they will face legal action.
  • The tighter rules limit individuals to hold more than 25,000 Nakfa in cash for no longer than 15 days. 
  • Eritrea accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of practising “port-based colonialism” in Africa through DP World, a UAE-owned company that operates the Berbera port in Somaliland and is involved in managing the Bosaso port in Somalia’s Puntland region. 
  • The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on 15 September in order to discuss the escalating violence in Yemen, particularly the spike in military operations in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping route, which is leading to further displacement. 

Links of interest
Brussels: Demonstration Place du Luxembourg for Eritrean Refugees Detained in Libya
State of the Union: President von der Leyen calls for a common European response on borders, migration and security
Surge in Yemen violence ends ceasefire and drives mass displacement
Thousands flee to Djibouti amid renewed Yemen fighting
DW Amharic – Conflict and draught displace residents in Wag-Hemra to surrounding towns
Fano Group Says 714 Fighters Complete Military Training in Amhara
Ethiopia Reassigns Tigray University Students to Federal Campuses
After the countryside, towns and communications, the Ethiopian government now wants to drain Tigray’s universities
News: El Niño-linked rainfall deficits threaten Ethiopia’s main harvest season, accounting for over 85% of national crop production
Ethiopia turns to Italian banks for €400 million to complete 1,800MW hydropower dam
Gold mine collapse kills at least 70 people in Sudan’s West Kordofan
RSF seizes another strategic army garrison in Blue Nile
Sudan army intercepts drones targeting two major dams near Ethiopian border
African Development Bank allocates $100 million to Sudan
Sudan asks regional bloc IGAD to back domestic dialogue
The Jigjiga incident raises questions about Somali soldiers’ involvement in the Sudan war
Eritrea’s New Cash Restrictions
Eritrea Accuses UAE of Port-Based Colonialism in Africa
Security Council LIVE: Rising violence triggers emergency meeting on Yemen

Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.