Monthly July 2024

August 10th, 2024

OUT NOW: Our Monthly Press Review July 2024 covers topics such as Eurafrican migration control, migration, and displacement in African countries, and news on the European border regime. Please also find our update on the Gaza war, on the war in Sudan, and news on the protests in Kenya and Nigeria.

In case there is a news item, report, or campaign you would like to flag in next month’s review please write us via contact@migration-control.info or on Twitter @MigControl.

Also see Migreurop: Revue de Presse 1er au 15 Juillet 2024

Follow Up: Gaza

01.08.24 AJE: Haniyeh killing in Iran risks dragging US into war it says it doesn’t want: The United States has publicly stated that it does not want this eventuality, even as it sent forces to the Middle East following the October 7 attack on Israel, and the beginning of the war on Gaza, in a show of support for Tel Aviv.
At the time, reports indicated that the US had worked to hold back Israel from escalating and to also keep Israel from launching a full-scale attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the US has been one of the countries mediating a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, although that looks to have encountered several stumbling blocks over the past few months.

Also see Foreign Affairs 03.06.24: How Hamas Ends: “Hamas is not a good candidate for a decapitation strategy, it is a highly networked organization that is almost 40 years old. If killing Hamas leaders could end the group, it would have happened long ago—and the Israelis have certainly tried.”

26.07.24 AJE: More than 180,000 displaced from Gaza’s Khan Younis in four days, UN says: Recent “intensified hostilities” in the Khan Younis area, more than nine months into the Israeli war, have fuelled “new waves of internal displacement across Gaza”, said the UN humanitarian agency OCHA on Friday.

24.07.24 Guardian: Scores killed in Israeli attacks, medics say, after IDF orders evacuation of Gaza humanitarian zone: The Israeli military has launched a fresh attack on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, killing at least 70 people according to medics, after ordering Palestinians to leave several neighbourhoods including areas that had been designated by the military as part of a humanitarian zone.

19.07.24 taz: Gutachten zum Westjordanland: IGH sieht Besatzung als illegal: Israels Siedlungen im Westjordanland sowie das damit verbundene Regime verstoßen gegen internationales Recht, erklärt der Internationale Gerichtshof.

18.07.24 AJE: US military shuts down problematic Gaza aid pier, shifts to Israeli port: The United States military has said its mission to install and operate a temporary, floating pier off the coast of Gaza to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians has ended. The $230m trouble-prone pier had to be removed repeatedly from Gaza’s shore because of poor weather conditions since its initial installation in mid-May.

17.07.24 taz: Die Hamas-Taten vom 7. Oktober: Etwa neun Monate nach dem Angriff militanter Palästinenser auf Südisrael am 7. Oktober veröffentlicht die Menschenrechtsorganisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) einen detaillierten Bericht über die von den Militanten damals begangenen Verbrechen.

13.07.24 AJE: ‘Shocking and brutal massacre’: World reacts to Israel’s al-Mawasi attacks: The United Nations and countries across the Middle East have denounced Israel after its military attacked a designated humanitarian safe zone in Gaza, killing at least 90 Palestinians and wounding 300 others.

13.07.24 taz: Aktivist über Anti-Hamas-Protest in Gaza: „Wir wollten sie stürzen“: Hamza Howidy hat gegen die Hamas demonstriert. Der internationalen Pro-Palästina-Bewegung wirft er Verherrlichung der Islamisten vor.

09.07.24 TNH: What is life like in northern Gaza?: The situation is really difficult. Devastation is everywhere. What catches your eye? If you were someone who visited Gaza years ago and came back, you would be shocked by the level of destruction that you will see everywhere, on the streets, in the homes, and in any aspect of life.

07.07.24 NYT: After 9 Months of War, Israelis Call for a Cease-Fire Deal and Elections: Israelis on Sunday marked nine months since the devastating Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7 and the start of the ensuing war in Gaza with a nationwide day of anti-government protests at a time that many here view as a pivotal juncture in the conflict.

All Africa

11.07.24 Guardian: Global population predictions offer ‘hopeful sign’ for planet, UN says: The global population is likely to peak earlier than expected and at a lower level, according to new UN projections that officials have said offer hope of reduced pressure on the environment.
The analysis predicts there will be about 10.3 billion people by the mid-2080s, up from 8.2 billion this year.
In nine countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Somalia, Angola and Central African Republic, the population is projected to double before 2054.
In more than half of countries, women are having fewer than 2.1 children on average – below the level at which a population size can be maintained without migration. Nearly a fifth, including China, now have “ultra-low” fertility rates of under 1.4 live births a woman.
Immigration iwill be the main driver of growth in the second half of the century in places including Australia, Canada and the US.

Find the report here.

North Africa

For regular info, see SWP WebMonitor Nahost/Nordafrika

July 2024 Mixed Migration: Quarterly Mixed Migration Update: North Africa: Key Updates and Regional Updates

Egypt

30.07.24 Guardian: Greening the desert: is Sisi’s grand plan using up all of Egypt’s water?: The ‘Future of Egypt’ envisages turning tracts of desert into farmland to grow crops for export. But with sky-high food price inflation and a water deficit, critics doubt it is viable

25.07.24 AJE: Egypt raises fuel prices to lock in IMF loan tranche: Egypt is raising fuel prices for the second time in four months, fulfilling an economic reform condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock hundreds of millions in new loans. Egypt’s official gazette reported an up to 15 percent price hike for petrol on Thursday, four days before the IMF is to review its $8bn loan programme, the next tranche of which is $820m.

17.07.24 taz: Repression in Ägypten: Wer Sisi die Stirn bietet: Im Mai hatten die ägyptischen Behörden Tantawi, einen prominenten Kritiker von Präsident Abdelfattah al-Sisi, verhaftet. Sie vollstreckten damit ein Gerichtsurteil, dem zufolge Tantawi wie auch 22 seiner Anhänger*innen für ein Jahr inhaftiert werden sollte.

See thins in context of Egyption expulsions of migrants from Sudan:

Libya

25.07.24 Africa Intelligence: Tripoli looks to officialise interception of migrants in Tunisian waters: The Libyan coastguard is waiting for official Tunisian confirmation that it can conduct search and rescue operations in the waters of its western neighbour. Meanwhile, it is about to take possession of a new command centre financed by the EU.

24.07.24 Arab News. Chad repatriates 157 nationals detained in Libya: Chad repatriated 157 of its citizens who had been detained in neighboring Libya on Tuesday, working in partnership with the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Libyan state, its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Also see Libya Observer 19.07.24: Ministry of Interior signs agreement with its Chadian counterpart to deport: nterior Minister Imad Al-Trabelsi has signed with his Chadian counterpart, an agreement regarding the deportation of illegal Chadians in Libya and the regularization of their status.
The agreement, which was signed on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum, aims to determine the conditions and procedures for regularizing the status of Chadian citizens present on Libyan territory, through identification in cooperation between the two countries.

Libya / Tunisia

17.07.24 AJE: Libya, Tunisia urge Europe to increase aid to help tackle migration crisis: North African countries seek assistance at Tripoli conference to help stem flow of refugees and migrants. Representatives from 28 African and European countries have met in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, to discuss ways to address irregular migration. Meloni one of the main speakers. Find her speach here.

Morocco / France

30.07.24 NYT: France Aligns With Morocco on Western Sahara, Angering Algeria: President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would support Morocco’s plan, which gives the disputed territory limited autonomy but keeps it under Moroccan control.

Tunisia

27.07.24 Le Monde: En Tunisie, le désespoir des migrants subsahariens expulsés dans le désert: Arrêtés, battus et abandonnés sans eau ni nourriture, des exilés ayant trouvé refuge à Médénine, dans le sud-est du pays, témoignent de l’horreur qu’ils ont subie.

20.07.24 AJE: Tunisian President Saied says he will seek re-election in October:“I officially announce my candidacy for the October 6 presidential election in order to keep up the fight in the battle for national liberation,” Saied, who has ruled by decree since suspending parliament in July 2021, said on Friday in a video released by his office. Speaking from the southern region of Tataouine, the 66-year-old said he was answering the “country’s sacred call” which left him no choice but to run for a second term. Several potential challengers who had announced their candidacy are either in prison or being prosecuted.

04.07.24 AJE: Tunisia opposition leader Lotfi Mraihi arrested: A Tunis court spokesman said earlier this week that Mraihi, one of President Kais Saied’s most prominent critics, faces charges of money laundering and opening bank accounts abroad without a licence from the central bank.

East Africa

Ethiopia

17.07.24 Africa Report: War over, but women still enduring sexual violence in Tigray region: The northern region of Ethiopia remains in the grip of famine, with much of its population displaced. In addition, women of the region are still enduring violence, including sexual and physical abuse.

Sudan

31.07.24 UNOCHA: Sudan Situation Report : About 25.6 million people – over half of the population of Sudan – face acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the brink of famine, according to latest analysis

31.07.24 Foreign Affairs: The UAE’s Secret War in Sudan: How International Pressure Can Stop the Genocidal Violence

Also see Guardian 25.07.24: ‘Smoking gun’ evidence points to UAE involvement in Sudan civil war: Discovery of Emirati passports in wreckage suggest covert boots on the ground, despite Gulf state’s denials

26.07.24 NYT: As Starvation Spreads in Sudan, Military Blocks Aid Trucks at Border: As Sudan hurtles toward famine, its military is blocking the United Nations from bringing enormous amounts of food into the country through a vital border crossing, effectively cutting off aid to hundreds of thousands of starving people during the depths of a civil war.
Experts warn that Sudan, barely functioning after 15 months of fighting, could soon face one of the world’s worst famines in decades

Also see AJE 01.08.24: Global hunger monitor declares famine in camp in Sudan’s North Darfur;

23.07.24 SWM: West Kordofan violence forces thousands to South Sudan: Over 17,000 refugees have fled the escalating violence in Western Kordofan, seeking refuge in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state. This influx adds a significant burden to a nation still struggling to heal from the scars of its own civil war.

22.07.24 AJE: ‘Catastrophic toll’ as Sudan’s warring sides refuse to budge: MSF: The NGO, known by its French initials MSF, warned in the report issued on Monday that protection of civilians has collapsed, with entire communities “facing indiscriminate violence, killings, torture and sexual violence amid persistent attacks on health workers and medical facilities”.

21.07.24 AJE: Iran, Sudan exchange ambassadors after eight years: In March 2023, Riyadh and Tehran announced the restoration of their relations following an agreement brokered by China. Iran has since moved to cement or restore relations with neighbouring Arab countries.
In February, the United States voiced concern at reported arms shipments by Washington’s foe Iran to Sudan’s military. Since Sudan’s war began in April 2023, a number of foreign powers have supported rival forces. The country has also drawn closer to Russia, which, experts say, has reconsidered its previous relationship with the RSF, with which it had links through the mercenary Wagner Group.

Also see SWM 22.07.24: The Iran-Sudan rapprochement: What does it mean for the Red Sea?: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps dispatched several cargo flights to Sudan, allegedly bringing attack drones and other weapons.

13.07.24 SWM: Sudanese military targets South Sudanese for mass deportation: Sudanese authorities have launched a crackdown on South Sudanese refugees living in the war-torn country. Security forces have been arresting, detaining, and deporting South Sudanese nationals through Jabelein, a border town near South Sudan state of Upper Nile. This raises concerns, as many of these refugees fear the authoritarian regime in South Sudan and could face persecution upon return.

10.07.24 AJE: Sudanese refugees hiding in Ethiopian forest to escape bandits and militias: Thousands of Sudanese refugees are dwelling in a forest near Ethiopia’s border with Sudan after surviving attacks by local militias on United Nations-run refugee camps.

Also see our Blog entry 31.05.24: Desperation and Hope: Sudanese Refugees' Struggle in Amhara Region Camps

07.07.24 AJE: What’s Sudan like after 15 months of war, displacement, and brutality?: Fighting has been reported in the towns of Sinja, Sennar and Dinder, prompting an exodus of civilians to neighnouring states.

05.07.24 SWM: Mass arrests in eastern Sudanese states as RSF advance: Sudanese security forces have detained scores of people across eastern Sudanese states over the past two weeks. This coincides with an offensive by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in their ongoing conflict with the Sudanese military.

04.07.24 Africa Report: US under growing pressure to take action against UAE in Sudan: On Capitol Hill, a growing number of Democrats are demanding that Biden suspend weapons sales to the UAE unless it stops arming the RSF. And just last week, the House joined the Senate in introducing a resolution accusing Hemeti’s forces of “genocide” in Darfur.

West Africa and Sahel

July 2024 Mixed Migration: Quarterly Mixed Migration Update: West Africa: Key Updates and Regional Updates

Burkina Faso

25.07.24 NYT: A Military Leader to His People: ‘Fight or You Disappear’: The West African nation of Burkina Faso was once known for its lively arts scene. Now, it is a country torn apart by Islamist extremists and the government’s brutal effort to drive them out.

12.07.24 Sahel Intelligence: Burkina Faso: Recrutement massif de soldats pour renforcer la lutte contre le terrorisme: Le président de la transition du Burkina Faso, le capitaine Ibrahim Traoré, a annoncé jeudi un plan de recrutement de 10 000 soldats afin de renforcer l’armée nationale. Lors d’une réunion à Ouagadougou avec des représentants de toutes les régions du pays, il a exprimé son ambition de porter l’armée à un niveau sans précédent dans la sous-région.

05.07.24 Guardian: ‘They live with fear in their stomachs’: increasing violence deepens crisis in Burkina Faso: About 10% of the population is displaced and 40 of the west African country’s cities are cut off from aid – but agencies say they have only 17% of the funding needed to help

11.07.24 RFI: Burkina Faso: le capitaine Ibrahim Traoré confirme son intention de diriger le pays encore cinq ans: Dans une forme de discours de politique générale de près d'1h40, il a fait le tour des différentes questions d’intérêt national, à commencer par la sécurité

11.07.24 Reuters: Burkina Faso junta adopts draft law to criminalise homosexuality: Burkina Faso's military junta said it has adopted the draft of an amended family code that criminalises homosexuality. The West African nation has been among just 22 out of 54 countries on the continent that allow same-sex relations, which are punishable by death or lengthy prison terms in some states.

10.07.24 HRW: Journalist, Junta Critics Feared Disappeared: The abductions raise concerns about enforced disappearances and possible unlawful conscriptions into the armed forces. Their cases appear linked to a wave of repression by Burkinabè authorities, who have severely restricted the rights of activists, journalists, opposition party members, and dissidents.

Also see Reuters 05.07.24: Insight: How Burkina Faso's junta is conscripting critics to fight Islamist rebels

Burkina Faso / Morocco:

29.07.24 WA Report: Morocco and Burkina Faso strengthen military cooperation as both countries sign strategic agreement: The visit included bilateral discussions on the two countries’ determination to boost and diversify cooperation at all levels including security.
It was also marked by the signing of military cooperation between the two countries, covering different areas, including training, military exercises, expertise exchange, and military health partnerships. During the meeting, Loudiyi stressed the importance of cooperation and recalled the country’s vision to transform the Atlantic coast of Africa into a hub of economic integration, stability, and prosperity. Burkina Faso is among a growing list of African nations that support Morocco’s territorial claims over its southern provinces in Western Sahara

Chad

16.07.24 Guardian: Kidnappings soar in central Africa’s ‘triangle of death’: Where Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic meet, people are turning vigilante to fight back

16.07.24 North Africa Post: Chad appeals for urgent international aid to tackle humanitarian crisis: Chad has appealed to its international partners for urgent help amid the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the central African country caused by conflicts and climate shocks in an effort to save lives of more than two million people.

ECOWAS

17.07.24 DW: Baerbock observes counterterrorism training in Ivory Coast: Insurgent violence and military takeovers in the region were high on the agenda, as Baerbock visited counterterrorism training in the Ivory Coast aimed at preventing a spillover of terrorism from the central Sahel region.

12.07.24 DW: Les troupes américaines vont s’installer en Côte d’Ivoire: Abidjan aurait donné son feu vert à la création d’une base américaine à Odienné, dans le nord-ouest du pays où les groupes djihadistes menacent les pays du golfe de Guinée.

Also see Mondeafrique 05.07.24: Côte d’Ivoire : la France se retire, les Américains arrivent…:

08.07.24 Guardian: Ecowas warns of ‘disintegration’ as juntas split from west African bloc: The Ecowas grouping of west African countries has warned the region faces “disintegration” after three military rulers cemented their own breakaway union over the weekend.
Parallel meetings of Ecowas and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Saturday exposed growing fissures within the unstable region, pitting neighbours against each other.

Also see NYT 10.07.24: This Alliance United West Africa for Decades. Now Countries Are Backing Out.

06.07.24 LM: Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali sign 'confederation' treaty marking divorce from West Africa bloc: The military leaders entered a new 'confederation' Saturday as they signed a treaty during their first summit in Niamey. The three countries in January said they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organization they accused of being manipulated by France, their former colonial ruler.

Guinea

31.07.24 taz: Guinea schreibt Rechtsgeschichte: Ein Gericht in Guinea verurteilt Ex-Diktator Moussa Dadis Camara und andere hohe Ex-Militärs. Sie haben Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit begangen.

Mali

28.07.24 AJE: Mali rebels claim major victory over army, Russian mercenaries: A mainly Tuareg separatist coalition has claimed a major victory over Mali’s army and its Russian allies following three days of intense fighting in a district on the Algerian border. “A large amount of equipment and weapons were seized or damaged”, and prisoners were taken, the statement said, adding that seven rebels were killed and 12 wounded in the fighting in the Tinzaouatene district.

Also see Guardian 27.07.24: Ukraine military intelligence claims role in deadly Wagner ambush in Mali; taz 28.07.24: Wagner-Debakel in Malis Wüste; German Foreign Policy 31.07.24: Anschläge im Sahel: Berlin intensiviert Debatte um Sahel-Politik. In Mali und Niger dauern Spekulationen über auswärtige Beihilfe für Anschläge auf Pipelines und Streitkräfte an. Kiew bekennt sich zur Unterstützung für Angriffe auf malisch-russische Truppen.

18.07.24 Le Monde: Au Mali, le chef de la junte tenté de troquer le treillis pour le costume présidentiel: Près de quatre ans après son coup d’Etat contre Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, le colonel Assimi Goïta semble ouvrir la voie à l’organisation d’une élection… à laquelle il sera selon toute vraisemblance candidat.

16.07.24: RFI: Mali: les partis politiques boycottent les échanges avec les autorités de transition: La semaine dernière, Bamako a levé la suspension des activités politiques des partis et associations, qui était imposée depuis le mois d'avril. Dans la foulée, l'Autorité dite « indépendante » de gestion des élections (Aige) a convié le 15 juillet les partis politiques et les organisations de la société civile à une réunion censée relancer le dialogue. Les partis ont participé à cette rencontre, mais ils ont de manière quasi unanime décidé de boycotter les échanges.

Mauritania

24.07.24 AJE: At least 15 killed, dozens missing after boat capsizes off Mauritania: The boat carrying 300 people had left The Gambia and capsized near Nouakchott, according to UN migration agency.

22.07.24 Sahel Intelligence: Mauritanie : L’UE accorde 15 millions d’euros aux forces armées mauritaniennes pour renforcer la sécurité nationale: Le Conseil de l’Union européenne a approuvé ce lundi l’attribution de 15 millions d’euros aux Forces armées de la Mauritanie, tirés du Fonds européen d’appui à la paix (FEAP) dédié aux initiatives militaires et de défense. Selon un communiqué du Conseil, cette aide vise à renforcer les capacités de surveillance et de dissuasion terrestre et maritime de la Mauritanie. Le soutien financier du FEAP comprendra spécifiquement des équipements de protection individuelle, du matériel médical, des équipements aéronautiques polyvalents ainsi qu’un navire de patrouille.

29.06.24 Guardian: Voters in Mauritania’s fledgling democracy head to the polls: An estimated 2 million people are expected to vote in the presidential election in Mauritania in what could be the desert nation’s first civilian-to-civilian transition.

Also see AP 02.07.24: Clashes between police and protesters disputing Mauritania’s presidential election result kill 3

Niger

25.07.24 taz: Ein Jahr Militärputsch in Niger: Nach dem Putsch hat Nigers Militärjunta den Bemühungen getrotzt, sie durch Isolation weichzuklopfen. Übersicht über die Entwicklungen des letzten Jahres.

19.07.24 Africanews: Niger: IMF approves $71 million disbursement: The Executive Board of the IMF completed Wednesday the Fourth and Fifth Reviews of Niger’s economic and financial program supported by the Extended Credit Facility arrangement (ECF), and the First Review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility arrangement (RSF).

17.07.24 Le Monde: « Pas possible de continuer » la coopération militaire faute de « fiabilité », selon Berlin: L’Allemagne va cesser d’exploiter sa base de transport aérien au Niger et a annoncé le retrait de ses soldats d’ici au 31 août, faute d’accord avec Niamey.

Niger / Turkey

16.07.24 BBC: Leaving Syria's civil war to be a mercenary in Africa: For more than 10 years, Abu Mohammad has been living in a tent with his family in northern Syria, displaced by the long-running civil war. Unable to earn enough to support them, he, like hundreds of others, has decided to travel via Turkey to Niger to work as a mercenary. He is a member of Turkish-backed opposition forces that have been fighting President Bashar al-Assad for more than a decade. The faction he works for pays him less than $50 (£40) a month, so when Turkish recruiters appeared offering $1,500 a month to work in Niger, he decided it was the best way to earn more money.

16.07.24 Türkiye Today: Turkish delegation led by foreign and defense ministers to visit Niger: Türkiye has had a longstanding presence in Niger, with Turkish companies active in energy, mining, services, and construction sectors.

Nigeria

AJE 01.08.24: Hundreds protest across Nigeria over soaring cost of living, fuel prices: Tagged #EndbadGovernanceinNigeria, the protest movement has won support with an online campaign among Nigerians who are battling with food inflation at 40 percent and fuel prices that have tripled since Tinubu introduced his reforms.
On Thursday, police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Abuja, the Reuters news agency reported. In the northern city of Kano, protesters tried to light bonfires outside the governor’s office and police responded with tear gas, the AFP news agency said.

Also see The Africa Report 31.07.24: Nigeria: 10 days of rage loom as youths reject Tinubu’s ‘olive branch’: For two weeks, President Bola Tinubu and his appointees have been meeting with political and traditional leaders, clerics and other stakeholders across the country all in a bid to forestall Kenya-style protests tagged, ‘Days of Rage’. Despite hastily meeting some of their demands, protestors from both sides began taking to the streets.

Sahel / Libya

27.07.24 Jeune Aftique: Le maréchal Haftar va-t-il faire de la Libye la porte d’entrée des Russes vers le Sahel ?: La visite à Ouagadougou, le 9 juillet, de Saddam Haftar, le plus jeune des six fils du maréchal qui règne sur plus de la moitié de la Libye, n’est pas passée inaperçue malgré ses airs de discrétion. L’héritier putatif des domaines de son père a déjà été chargé de missions diplomatiques, tout comme ses autres frères. Mais il a l’ascendant sur le champ militaire, car il a été promu, le 15 mai, chef d’état-major des forces terrestres de l’autoproclamée Armée nationale libyenne de son père.

Senegal

22.07.24 Le Monde: Au Sénégal, plus de 250 « migrants irréguliers » interceptés en deux jours, selon la marine: Plus de 250 « migrants irréguliers » venus de différents pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest, dont plusieurs femmes, ont été interceptés, vendredi 19 et samedi 20 juillet, au Sénégal, selon la marine, quelques jours après un naufrage meurtrier au large de la Mauritanie voisine d’une embarcation partie des côtes sénégalaises.

15.07.24 Sahel Intelligence: Dialogue prudent sur la présence militaire française: « Je ne peux pas vous dire quand cela arrivera, car toute modification entre pays doit être discutée dans un esprit de sérénité et d’amitié. Je ne pense pas qu’il soit nécessaire aujourd’hui, avec quelque partenaire que ce soit, d’envisager des ruptures brutales »

02.07.24 taz: Senegal unter Diomaye Faye: „Die Jugend hat keine Zeit zu warten“: Drei Monate nach Amtsantritt von Senegals linkem Präsidenten Diomaye Faye fehlen konkrete Projekte. Vor allem junge Menschen sind unzufrieden.

Central and Sub Saharan Africa

CAR

23.07.24 Guardian: ‘They turn our farms into rape centres’: Russian mercenaries accused of abuse in Central African Republic: A rise in sexual violence means food prices have leapt in CAR as women and girls say they fear working in the fields

10.07.24 AJE: ‘We now face guns’: Small-scale miners fear Wagner’s advances in CAR: Local miners in the Central African Republic face eviction and violence as the Russian group takes over gold and diamond mines.

DRC

19.07.24 NYT: Congo’s ‘Other’ Conflict Kills Thousands in West Near the Capital: Nine soldiers and 70 militiamen died in clashes on July 13 in Kinsele, a village 80 miles east of Kinshasa. Overshadowed by fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a dispute in the west between two ethnic groups has resulted in thousands of civilians killed and more than 550,000 displaced near the capital.

Kenya

24.07.24 AJE: ‘Kenya is not asleep anymore’: Why young protesters are not backing down: Weeks of antigovernment demonstrations demand an end to bad governance, corruption and for President Ruto to step down.

Also see our Monthly June 2024

17.07.24 taz: Proteste in Kenia gehen weiter: Wieder Tote bei Straßenschlachten: Rutos Konzessionen an die Protestbewegung scheinen nicht gefruchtet zu haben. Zuerst zog er das umstrittene Haushaltsgesetz zurück, dann entließ er vergangene Woche seine gesamte Regierung und auch der Polizeichef trat zurück. Aber die Jugendprotestbewegung, genannt „Generation Z“, sieht darin keine Lösung für die zunehemden wirtschaftlichen Probleme der Bevölkerung.

08.07.24 Africa Report: Kenya’s capital costs spike as Ruto flip‑flops on fresh borrowing plan: President William Ruto’s mixed sentiment on Kenya’s new borrowing plan, after scrapping the Finance Bill 2024, exposes the country to the risk of steep capital market costs in the coming months.

Also see AJE 07.07.24: What do the IMF and foreign debt have to do with Kenya’s current crisis?: Critics say the IMF provides loans to desperate African countries on stringent terms, disproportionately affecting the poor; WOZ 04.07.24: «… und die in der Politik tragen teure Uhren»: Trotz Zugeständnissen der Regierung will die Jugend Kenias weiter auf die Strasse gehen. Eine Aktivistin über die Ziele der Bewegung – und die Wut auf ein ausbeuterisches System; NYT 06.07.24 After Deadly Protests, Kenyans Tell of Brutal Abductions: Dozens of activists say they were snatched from their homes or off the streets by hooded, armed men. Some are still missing, and the disappearances have unnerved a nation long seen as a pillar of stability.

Rwanda

16.07.24 Guardian: Rwanda's Paul Kagame cruises to crushing election victory: President wins 99.15% of the vote, allowing him to extend authoritarian rule by further five years

09.07.24 taz: Ruanda und der Krieg in der DR Kongo: UNO sieht „direkte Rolle“: Mit Tausenden Soldaten und Unterstützung hat Ruanda die Erfolge der M23-Rebellen in der DR Kongo möglich gemacht, haben UN-Experten festgestellt.

West Asia

Iran

26.07.24 Infomigrants: L’Iran construit un mur à sa frontière avec l’Afghanistan pour stopper les arrivées de migrants: Le mur de béton, de 300 km de long et de 4 m de hauteur, doit permettre de freiner les arrivées de ressortissants afghans, qui fuient le pays sous le contrôle des Taliban. Les travaux de construction ont débuté à la frontière entre l’Iran et l’Afghanistan, et devraient durer plusieurs années. Téhéran dresse un mur de béton entre la province du Khorosan Razavi, au nord-est de l’Iran, et d’Hérat, à l’ouest de l’Afghanistan. Un budget de trois millions d’euros a été alloué à cette mesure destinée à renforcer la frontière. Le mur devrait s’étaler sur 300 km de long et mesurer 4 mètres de haut. Il sera élargi par une clôture supplémentaire en fil de fer barbelés. La frontière entre l’Iran et l’Afghanistan s’étend sur 920 km, mais la zone visée par cette construction est celle généralement empruntée par les Afghans qui tentent de fuir leur pays.

Turkey

07.07.24 taz: Daten-Leak gefährdet Menschen: Ein Daten-Leak verunsichert die syrischen Geflüchteten in der Türkei noch weiter. Nachdem es Anfang letzter Woche in mehreren Städten zu gewaltsamen Ausschreitungen gegen syrische Geflüchtete und ihre Geschäfte gekommen war, fürchten Flüchtlinge nun um ihre Anonymität. Am Freitag bestätigte die Einwanderungsbehörde, dass durch ein Daten-Leak die Adressen, Passkopien und Telefonnummern nahezu aller 3,4 Millionen registrierten Flüchtlingen auf verschiedenen Telegram-Kanälen veröffentlicht wurden.

Also see taz 03.07.24: Antisyrische Pogrome in der Türkei: Straßenterror gegen Geflüchtete

Europe

04.07.24 Mediendienst: Factsheet: Entwicklung der Migrationsrouten nach Europa: 2024 ist die Zahl der Geflüchteten, die irregulär nach Europa gekommen sind, im Vergleich zum Vorjahr insgesamt zurückgegangen – so in Italien und im Westbalkan. In Polen, Griechenland und Spanien (insbesondere auf den Kanarschen Inseln) ist sie jedoch deutlich gestiegen.

Cyprus

18.07.24 Cyprus Mail: Cyprus to receive €30 million in EU funding for border control: Cyprus will receive an additional €30 million in funding from the European Commission for upgrades to its coastal surveillance system, part of an effort to manage migration. The upgrades will be implemented to “prevent cross-border crime and illegal immigration,”

Finland

12.07.24 DW: Video: Finland to vote on turning back migrants coming from Russia: Finland's parliament is set to vote on a bill granting border guards the power to turn back asylum seekers coming from Russia. The government says it is vital to stop arrivals, despite being at odds with Finland's international human rights commitments.

France / UK

18.07.24 Daily Mail: UK border force ship returns Channel migrants to France for the first time: Patrols off the coast of Gravelines in northern France saw people in the water yesterday, sparking a rescue operation aided by the British Border Force and RNLI. Some 59 people were brought on board the French ship PSP Cormoran, including an unconscious person who could not be resuscitated by the medical team. A British vessel, the Border Force Ranger, also saved 13 people from the water, and both ships took the group of people to Calais.

Germany

24.07.24 taz: Grenzkontrollen in Brandenburg: Pushbacks nach Polen: An der deutsch-polnischen Grenze wird immer mehr Migrant*innen die Einreise verweigert. Dabei soll es vermehrt zu illegalen Zurückweisungen kommen.

Also see taz 08.07.24: Flucht ohne Lebensgefahr: Immer mehr Geflüchtete kommen via Belarus nach Deutschland. Die Bundespolizei reagiert mit verstärkten Kontrollen. Für die Menschen auf der Flucht ist diese Route ein Segen.

17.07.24 taz: Afghanistan-Aufnahme wackelt: Dem Aufnahmeprogramm für afghanische Menschenrechtler*innen droht das Ende. Im Haushaltsentwurf des Kabinetts ist nur noch ein minimaler Betrag für solche Zwecke vorgesehen.

11.07.24 taz: Auf dem Rücken der Vergessenen: Bei der Humanitären Hilfe und Entwicklungszusammenarbeit wird in dem Entwurf zum Haushalt 2025 stark gekürzt. Kommende Woche soll dieser vom Kabinett beschlossen werden. Während das Verteidigungsministerium eine Milliarde mehr erhält, sind im Bundesentwicklungsministerium (BMZ) rund eine Milliarde weniger vorgesehen. Auch im Auswärtigen Amt (AA) sollen hunderte Millionen gespart werden.

Italy

31.07.24 Altreoconomia: I diritti negati e il trattamento dei cittadini stranieri all’hotspot di Pantelleria: "On the island, in a condition of total invisibility, there is a centre used for first aid and identification. Every year, almost 5,000 people, mainly of Tunisian nationality, disembark there. The Association for Legal Studies (ASGI) on Immigration visited the facility and identified a number of serious problems: from overcrowding to the lack of communication with the outside world"

Poland

16.07.24 RFI: Pologne: les forces armées peuvent tirer sur des migrants sans responsabilité pénale: En Pologne, la crise migratoire à la frontière avec la Biélorussie continue de s’intensifier. Cet été, le gouvernement a mis en place une zone tampon complètement militarisée le long de la frontière pour empêcher les migrants de pénétrer dans le pays. Ce vendredi 12 juillet, le gouvernement a élargi les prérogatives des forces armées. Elles ont désormais le droit de tirer sur les migrants sans en être tenues responsables pénalement.

Also see: Greater use of firearms at the border with Belarus: PACE Rapporteur expresses deep human rights concerns at Polish draft law ; Ocalenie July 2024: No Safe Passage. Migrant’s Death at the EU-Belorussion Border

UK

06.07.24 AJE: Keir Starmer says scrapping UK’s Rwanda migrant deportation plan

European Union

July 2024 Mixed Migration: Quarterly Mixed Migration Update: Europe: Key Updates and Regional Overview

30.07.24 taz: Gewalt an den EU-Außengrenzen: Straflose Misshandlungen: Gewalt und Menschenrechtsverletzungen an den Europäischen Außengrenzen bleiben meist ohne juristische Folgen. Das schreibt die Europäische Grundrechteagentur FRA in einer am Dienstag vorgestellten Untersuchung. „Schwerwiegende, wiederkehrende und weit verbreitete“ Rechtsverletzungen gegen Migrant:innen und Flüchtlinge würden oft nicht untersucht, so die FRA. Gebe es strafrechtliche Ermittlungen, würden diese häufig „schon in der Voruntersuchungsphase eingestellt“. Die FRA (Fundamental Rights Agency) ist eine in Wien ansässige Institution der EU.

24.07.24 Le Monde: Plusieurs pays de l’Union européenne veulent pouvoir expulser des réfugiés vers la Syrie et l’Afghanistan: L’Autriche, l’Italie, Chypre et d’autres Etats membres demandent une révision des relations avec le régime de Bachar Al-Assad afin de faciliter les renvois de Syriens. Berlin et Vienne souhaitent aussi pouvoir expulser des réfugiés afghans délinquants.
Full Text: https://seenthis.net/messages/1064150

18.07.24 Osservatorio balcani: Migration management in the Balkans: Despite various reports of migration mismanagement and human rights abuses in Serbia, the European Commission at the end of June signed an agreement with Belgrade to strengthen cooperation on migration control with Serbia to facilitate border management with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). A press release from the European Commission explains that “the agreement will allow Frontex to carry out joint operations and deploy the European Border and Coast Guard standing corps anywhere on the territory of Serbia, including its borders with neighbouring non-EU countries”.

Reports and Long Reads

EU

28.06.24 Balkaninsight: Frontex Officers Failing to Report Migrant Abuses on Albania-Greece Border: This BIRN analysis of internal Frontex documents and reporting from the field has unearthed serious indications of systematic pushbacks at the Albanian-Greek border as well as fresh evidence that such unlawful practices are often evading Frontex’s own rights monitoring mechanism.
Asked whether rights violations were being underreported, a Frontex spokesman told BIRN that such claims were “completely and demonstrably false”.

25.07.24 Mediapart: Les cours d’eau sont mortels pour qui n’est pas du bon côté – Épisode #1: Le Pacte européen sur la migration et l’asile adopté ce printemps pourrait renforcer les traques policières visant des personnes exilées dans les Balkans. Depuis une vingtaine d'années, l’UE et Frontex y développent des dispositifs de surveillance aux effets mortels. En remontant les cours d’eau qui séparent plusieurs pays de la région, ce portfolio remonte aux sources de ce cycle de violences.

12.07.24 CPT: Report to the Greek Government on the visit to Greece carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 20 November to 1 December 2023: CPT delegation visited a range of places of detention, including six of the seven pre-removal detention centres (PRDCs) and several police and border guard stations in different regions in the country. It also visited, for the first time, three “Closed Controlled access Centres” (CCACs) on the Aegean Islands of Lesvos, Kos and Samos.

04.07.24 Statewatch: How the EU police training agency is cosying up to the Arab League’s political extradition body: On 20 September 2023, Montserrat Marín Lopez, the executive director of the EU’s law enforcement training agency CEPOL, met in Cairo with Dr. Mohammad Bin Ali Kuman, the secretary general of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council (AIMC).
The meeting was part of an official visit of Ms. Lopez to Egypt, aiming to connect “with existing and new CEPOL partners to explore different opportunities of collaborating in the future,” as per an announcement on CEPOL’s website a few days later.

Libya

18.07.24 FES: Von Härten und Strapazen: Die wirtschaftliche Lage von Migrant_innen in Libyen: Interview: Trotz Bürgerkriegen und politischer Instabilität bleibt Libyen ein wichtiges Ziel- und Transitland für viele Migrant_innen, häufig mit prekären Arbeits- und Lebensverhältnissen.

Report: Thibaut Girault: Crossing Borders, Building Livelyhoods. The Insecure Economic Lives of Migrants in Libya, July 2024

Mautitania

18.07.24 Granta: James Pogue: Gold Fever in the Coup Belt: The Mines of Mauritania: Long read on impresssions from Mauritania

Mediterranean

29.07.24 Alarmphone: Chains of Solidarity at Sea!: In the first half of 2024, Alarm Phone was alerted to 321 boats in distress in the central Mediterranean Sea. After the record year of 2023, when we were alerted to 1,203 cases, this marks a decrease in distress situations that reached our hotline. This decrease also reflects an overall decrease in migratory crossings of the central Mediterranean Sea. While about 157,600 people succeeded in subverting Europe’s violent borders and reaching Italy by boat in the whole of last year, in the first half of 2024, 26,015 people managed to do so.
Over the first six months of 2024, it is estimated that about 800 people have died or disappeared and we know that the true figure is higher. It is estimated that about 30.000 people were forcibly returned to Tunisia by the Tunisian authorities and about 10,000 to Libya by the so-called Libyan coastguard, with continuous support by the EU and its member states.

26.06.24 Sea Watch: Airborne Annual Report 2023: The report analyzes the year 2023 in terms of migration policy, with a focus on the externalization of European borders and the control over them. Using exemplary cases, the main findings from 2023 are outlined in four chapters: the ongoing and systematic non-assistance by the European Union, especially by Italy and Malta; the rampant strengthening of the EU agency Frontex and its cooperation with Libyan militias; the pullback strategy outsourced by the EU to different Libyan militias, including the so-called Libyan coast guard; and the development of Tunisia as the main country of departure via the central Mediterranean route.

Kenya

09.07.24: New Lines Magazine: How Kenya’s Youth, Middle Classes and Working Poor Joined Forces: The working poor showed up with fervor. Motorcycle riders ferried protesters in and out of a packed capital. Residents of Nairobi’s informal settlements, who make up more than half of the city’s population, filled the streets. A new generation of young, educated and upwardly mobile protesters also took to the streets

Niger

TNH 01.08.14: Niger tries a new refugee model as Nigerians flee bandit attacks: Tens of thousands of people fleeing bandit violence in Nigeria’s northwest have been welcomed across the border in Niger, with local communities sharing both land and business opportunities in a potentially new model for refugee integration in West Africa.

19.07.24 Clingendael: Niger’s Repeal of the 2015/36 Anti-Smuggling Law: In July 2023, Niger experienced a significant political shift following a military coup d’état. One of the effects of the coup d’état was the decision of the military authorities to abrogate the unpopular 2015/36 Anti-Smuggling Law adopted in 2015 and implemented since mid-2016. This alert aims to examine the legal effects produced by the repealing of the law, which are often overlooked by those who believe that the greatest repercussion will be additional migrant arrivals in Europe.
Find the Alert here.

Sahel

06.07.24 NYT: Violence, Rape, Thirst, Even Organ Theft: Migrants Face Lethal Risks in Africa: The danger to migrants while crossing the Mediterranean is well documented, but an earlier phase of their trek, across the Sahel and the Sahara, is deadlier, researchers say in a new report. Based on interviews with more than 31,000 migrants all along their routes, from 2020 to 2023, the report documents the brutality suffered by the growing number of people from dozens of countries who try to make their way across the Sahel and the Sahara, fleeing war, environmental degradation and poverty.

Find the report here.

Sudan

28.07.24 HRW: Sudan: Widespread Sexual Violence in the Capital: The 89-page report, ““Khartoum is Not Safe for Women”: Sexual Violence against Women and Girls in Sudan’s Capital,” documents widespread sexual violence, as well as forced and child marriage during the conflict, in Khartoum and its sister cities. Service providers treating and supporting victims also heard reports from women and girls of being held by the RSF in conditions that could amount to sexual slavery. The research also highlights the devastating health and mental health consequences for survivors and the destructive impact of warring parties’ attacks on health care and the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) willful blocking of aid.

09.07.24 Zeit: "Wenn sie sehen, dass du schwarz bist, attackieren sie dich": Es sind vor allem Frauen und Kinder, die vor Hunger und Krieg im Sudan in den tschadischen Grenzort Adré geflüchtet sind. Sie berichten von furchtbaren Gräueln.

Tunisia

23.07.27 FTDES: Résultats préliminaires d’une étude de terrain sur la situation des migrants en Tunisie: Le Forum Tunisien pour les Droits Economiques et Sociaux (FTDES) a réalisé une étude de terrain sur la question migratoire sous la direction d’une équipe de chercheurs. L’étude repose sur des méthodes quantitatives et qualitatives allant des entretiens semi-directifs aux focus groupes. De mars à mai 2024, l’enquête a été réalisée avec un échantillon de 379 migrant.es, dans trois gouvernorats : Tunis, Sfax et Médenine.

17.07.24 ASGI: Strategie legali di contrasto alle politiche di esternalizzazione in Tunisia: La cooperazione tra Italia e Tunisia in materia migratoria si è intensificata notevolmente negli ultimi anni, con l’acquisizione di un ruolo centrale della Tunisia come paese di transito. Le politiche di blocco della mobilità si sono affinate, attraverso misure politiche e dispositivi giuridici che si rinforzano reciprocamente, imponendo la necessità di sviluppare strategie multilivello di contenzioso legale.
Il report illustra le azioni legali sperimentate nell’ambito del progetto Sciabaca & Oruka di ASGI per contrastare le politiche italiane che sostengono il blocco della mobilità in Tunisia, tra le quali il massiccio finanziamento a programmi di rimpatrio cd volontario dal paese e il supporto tecnico e logistico alla Garde Nationale tunisina.

11.07.24 LMD: Große Pläne mit der Wüstensonne: Ein riesiges Solarkraftwerk soll Strom aus Tunesien nach Europa liefern – die lokale Bevölkerung hat nichts davon

03.07.24 bpb: Tunesien : Überblick über Aktuelle Situation, Hintergründe, Geschichte des Konflikts

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