BRUSSELS | 3 JUNE (IDN | EEPA) — The following are the situation reports on Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan and the EU’s pact on Migration and Asylum.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 4 June)
- Voting in some parts of Ethiopia was extended up to midnight on 1 June due to long queues, while security incidents were reported at polling stations in Oromia and Amhara, with 143 stations closing early.
- The Coalition for Ethiopian Unity (CEU) stated that regardless of election outcomes, no candidates will enter any council under the name of the Coalition, criticising the electoral process and stating that it resembled “sham elections known throughout history”.
- At least 37 Orthodox Christians were killed in Aleko Teleta district Tefa Kebele of Arsi zone, Oromia, on 1 June by an armed group, with others reported missing, while over 280 houses were burned down.
- The localities of Zedibu, Erecha Michael, Sunte Mariam, Bogdo Abo, Lencho Ada, Jiso and Dire kebeles in Arsi zone were also targeted by armed groups.
- The National Council of the Tigray Regional State, which was reinstated by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, approved the appointment of office bearers on 1 June during its fourth emergency session. Among other appointments, Amanuel Assefa was appointed as the vice president.
Situation in Sudan (per 4 June)
- The leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Dagalo, has ordered the creation of a security and defense council, which would be mandated to establish a new national army. The new army will comprise the RSF, as well as resistance groups such as Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
- The Washington Post published accounts of women in Sudan being trafficked, abducted and raped, primarily by soldiers of the RSF. The accounts include women being tortured while calling relatives to pay for their release.
- Thousands of civilians have been tried as RSF collaborators by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), either being sentenced to death or remaining in prison up to now. The majority of those arrested are women belonging to communities that are traditionally persecuted by both the RSF and SAF.
- 40% of health facilities in Sudan are nonoperational, this number is far higher in Khartoum, with 21 million people left without basic care. Many now rely on unregulated, smuggled and often spoiled medicines.
Situation in Somalia (per 4 June)
- Heavy fighting has been taking place in Mogadishu since 3 June between Somali government forces and armed opposition-aligned groups. The fighting has disrupted transportation and led to many residents fleeing their homes.
Situation in South Sudan (per 4 June)
- The Political Parties Council (PPC) has set 30 June as the final deadline for political parties intending to participate in South Sudan’s first General Elections to register for the election scheduled for December.
- The World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled up its emergency response in Akobo East, South Sudan, as the malnutrition crisis in the area has worsened to IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5 (Extremely Critical).
International and regional situation (per 4 June)
- The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), led by Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, stated the General Elections in Ethiopia met most of its obligations, reflecting Ethiopia’s commitment to constitutional governance and democratic principles.
- The AUEOM recommended the improvement of the security environment and and promoting measures to increase the participation of underrepresented groups.
- The report by the AUEOM differs in voting statistics to a report published by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
- Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue talks scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa are coming under fire, with 14 political groups and leaders within Sudan’s Democratic Bloc boycotting the meeting over concerns of foreign involvement and the participation of Sudan Founding Alliance undermining Sudan’s sovereignty.
- The opposing groups also criticised the talks for legitimising a parallel government linked to the RSF.
Refugee and migration situation (per 4 June)
- The EU has agreed on a deal that will allow the creation of return centres outside the EU bloc, where rejected asylum seekers and irregular migrants can be transferred before deportation.
- The EU’s pact on Migration and Asylum is set to take effect on 12 June, although most member states are not yet ready for its implementation. The pact includes 10 legislative acts related to border security, screening and unifying the asylum system across the EU.
- The Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taher Al-Baour, has stated his opposition to any plans aimed at resettling irregular migrants in Libya.
- He further stated that cooperation with the EU and international organisations focuses on voluntary return programmes, deportation procedures and humanitarian assistance for stranded migrants.
- Funding cuts to humanitarian organisations in the Horn of Africa has worsened the situation for displaced mothers and pregnant women, with a steep increase in maternal deaths.
- The Italy-based NGO, Refugees in Libya, has condemned the Libyan government for its dehumanisation of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Libya, with recent announcements by the government threatening mass evictions.
- Demonstrations are taking place in Tripoli against the settlement and naturalisation of migrants in Libya, while municipalities have announced curfews and evictions of foreigners, some even calling for the expulsion of UNHCR from Libya.
Links of interest
Vote counting continues in Ethiopia after polls marred by insecurity
News: Coalition for Ethiopian Unity says no candidate will take council seats under its name
Ethiopian Patriarch says, “We are heart broken” as the massacre in Arsi seems unending
Orthodox Christians continue to be targeted in Arsi Oromia, at least 37 killed
Office of the President-Tigray’s post
Sudan’s Dagalo orders creation of ‘new national army’ comprising paramilitary and rebel groups
Women say they were raped and ransomed by fighters in Sudan’s ongoing war
In Sudan, Perpetrators of War Crimes Are Rewarded While Civilians Languish
‘Spoiled insulin’: Sudan war disrupts drug supplies, fuelling smuggling
Heavy fighting continues in Mogadishu, disrupting roads and airport access
South Sudan Sets June 30 Deadline for Political Parties Seeking to Contest Historic 2026 Elections
WFP scales up emergency response in South Sudan as catastrophic hunger and malnutrition deepen
Observers okay June 1 Ethiopia elections
AU, IGAD Observers Publish Conflicting Reports on Ethiopia’s Vote
Democratic Bloc split over Addis Ababa dialogue as SLM-Abdelwahid joins talks
EU seals deal on ‘return hubs’ in migration overhaul
MEPs raise doubts if EU states will be ready for migration pact in 11 days
Al-Baour: No foreign entity can impose migrant resettlement on Libya
Born on the road: Aid cuts leave refugee mothers with nowhere to turn
Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to the movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of universities, research organisations, civil society, and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and across Africa. The Situation Reports can be found here. To receive the situation report in your e-mail, click here. You can unsubscribe at any moment through the link at the bottom of each e-mail.
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