https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 10:27:27 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230807-clashes-intensify-in-ethiopias-amhara-region-as-local-militia-challenges-military-control/ Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:40:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=658354 The conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region reached a critical point on Monday as Ethiopia's federal authorities acknowledge the loss of territories to militia fighters, reports Anadolu Agency. Fighting continued Monday between local militias and the military in the Amhara region. Both Bahir Dar, the regional capital, and the historic city of Gondar have become the epicenters of violent confrontations, leading to deep distress among the local population. The fighting in the Amhara region involves the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the Fano Militia. Clashes in the region started in April, triggered by the federal government's decision on April 11 to issue an integration order. The order aimed to merge security forces from Ethiopia's 11 regions into the federal forces, […]]]> 658354 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230726-envoy-russia-repeatedly-asked-ethiopia-to-consider-egypts-concerns-over-dam/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 09:32:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655142 The Russian Ambassador to Cairo, Georgy Borisenko, said his country has contacted Ethiopia "several times" and urged it to take into account Egypt's concerns regarding Addis Ababa's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). "Russia has addressed its Ethiopian partners several times in order for them to take into account the Egyptians' concerns about the dam, and we told them that they should remember the rightful concerns of our Egyptian friends, and it is necessary to find mutually beneficial solutions," Borisenko said during an interview on MBC Egypt 2 which aired yesterday. The Russian envoy said Moscow fully understands Egypt's position on the dam and knows that the Nile waters play an existential role in the lives of Egyptians. READ: Deadly real estate in Egypt: […]]]> 655142 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-many-may-die-warns-un-after-end-of-black-sea-grain-deal/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 19:44:05 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654438 A spike in grain prices since Russia quit a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain "potentially threatens hunger and worse for millions of people," the United Nations' Aid chief told the Security Council on Friday, Reuters reports. "Some will go hungry, some will starve, many may die as a result of these decisions," Martin Griffiths told the 15-member Council, adding that some 362 million people in 69 countries were in need of humanitarian aid. Russia quit the Black Sea grain deal on Monday, saying that demands to improve its own food and fertiliser exports had not been met, and that not enough Ukrainian grain had reached the poorest countries. US wheat futures in Chicago rose over 6 per cent […]]]> 654438 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230714-sudan-welcomes-outcomes-of-egypt-summit/ Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:23:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=652329 The governing Transitional Sovereign Council (TSC) in Sudan yesterday welcomed the outcomes of the summit held by its neighbours in Egypt, Anadolu news agency reported. The TSC stressed in a statement that "the government of Sudan is keen to work with all parties seeking to stop the war and restore security and tranquillity." It also confirmed that the Sudanese Armed Forces are ready to immediately stop military operations, if the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias commit to stop attacking homes, neighbourhoods, civilian objects, government facilities, blocking roads and looting. This commitment includes initiating a political dialogue as soon as the hostilities cease, leading to the establishment of a civilian-led government to guide the nation through a transitional period, culminating in elections […]]]> 652329 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230713-summit-of-neighbours-of-conflict-torn-sudan-kicks-off-in-cairo/ Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:33:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=652100 A summit of the neighbours of conflict-torn Sudan's began in Egypt's capital, Cairo, on Thursday to help settle the ongoing Sudanese crisis that erupted in mid-April, Anadolu Agency reports. At the opening session, Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, said the summit is being held at a "historic moment", urging the halt of all military operations in Sudan, according to Egyptian daily, Youm7. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said "top officials" are taking part in the summit, but did not specify their names or the number of countries attending. Sudanese diplomatic sources, however, told Anadolu that the summit is being attended by Al-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, and Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan. READ: UK sanctions businesses funding war in […]]]> 652100 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230712-us-diplomat-ethiopia-foreign-minister-discuss-sudan-peace-process/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:07:13 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651962 Ethiopia's Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, met with US diplomat, Molly Phee, on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues, including the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Anadolu Agency reports. "The peace process in Sudan must be led and owned by the Sudanese and should be conducted under the auspices of the AU through the IGAD platform," said a statement from Mekonnen, after the meeting held in the capital, Addis Ababa. He was referring to the regional blocs African Union and Inter-governmental Authority on Development. Phee, the assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs of the US, lauded the Ethiopian government for hosting the IGAD Quartet meeting on the situation in Sudan on Monday. She stressed "parties to conflict should commit to […]]]> 651962 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230712-khartoum-says-positively-views-egypt-initiative-to-resolve-sudan-conflict/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:53:22 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651830 Sudan said, Wednesday, it views "positively" an Egyptian initiative to host a summit of neighbouring countries to look into ways of resolving the Sudanese conflict, Anadolu Agency reports. Egypt is set to host a summit of Sudan's neighbours on Thursday to discuss means of ending the conflict there. "We look positively at the Egyptian initiative to discuss ways to end the conflict in Sudan, and we hope that this summit will achieve its goals in solving Sudan's problems," Foreign Minister, Ali Al-Sadiq, said in a statement. Sudan has been ravaged by clashes between the Army and the RSF since April, in a conflict that killed nearly 3,000 civilians and injured thousands, according to local medics. Several cease-fire agreements brokered by […]]]> 651830 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230712-sudan-foreign-forces-deployed-in-the-country-will-be-seen-as-aggressors/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:59:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651611 The Sudanese government will not allow foreign forces to be deployed in the country, it said in a statement yesterday, adding that they would be seen as aggressors. This came following the meeting of the Quartet Committee regarding the Sudanese crisis, according to the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA). The statement said that the Sudanese delegation arrived in Addis Ababa before the start of the Quartet meeting and communicated with the organisers, noting that this confirms the existence of a sincere desire to reach a solution. The statement confirmed that what was stated in the Quartet's statement regarding the absence of the Sudanese delegation was inaccurate, noting that the failure to attend the meeting was due to Sudan's objection to William Ruto chairing the […]]]> 651611 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230712-israel-citizen-kidnapped-in-ethiopia/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:14:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651591 Israel announced yesterday that one of its citizens in Ethiopia has been kidnapped while in the Gondar region in the north of the country, Anadolu has reported. "The Department for Israelis Abroad is in contact with his family members in Israel and is working with Interpol on the matter," explained the occupation state's foreign ministry. "Our consul in Ethiopia is in contact with local security officials in order to obtain the safe release of the Israeli citizen without delay." No party has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the unnamed man. The ministry, however, did not rule out "criminal" motives. READ: Official says academic kidnapped in Iraq 'absolutely not a member of Mossad']]> 651591 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230711-igad-seeks-summit-to-deploy-regional-force-in-sudan/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 11:15:21 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651352 An eastern African bloc yesterday called for a regional summit to consider deploying troops to Sudan to protect civilians, three months after violence erupted between the army and a paramilitary faction, Reuters reported. Fighting that erupted on 15 April in Khartoum, Sudan's capital, has spread to other parts of the country and driven more than 2.9 million people from their homes. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), made up of eight states in and around the Horn of Africa, met in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to kick-start a peace process for the conflict in Sudan. But the initiative faced a setback as a delegation from Sudan's army failed to attend after rejecting Kenya's president as head of the committee facilitating the […]]]> 651352 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230710-regional-leaders-meet-in-ethiopia-to-discuss-sudan-peace-prospects/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:15:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651280 Leaders of the East African regional block, Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), met Monday in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, to discuss the conflict in Sudan which has been going on since April this year, Anadolu Agency reports. Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, hosted the meeting presided by Kenyan President, William Ruto. Also in attendance were IGAD Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, Djibouti's Foreign Minister, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and representatives from South Sudan. "The situation in Sudan is dire: millions of people have been displaced, while lives lost have hit more than 2,000," Ruto said in a statement after the meeting. He added that the intensity and scale of the humanitarian crisis is a harrowing tragedy […]]]> 651280 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230709-ethiopia-delays-filling-of-flagship-dam-vows-to-heed-downstream-nations-concerns/ Sun, 09 Jul 2023 13:14:02 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=650637 Ethiopia will delay the next round of filling a major new hydroelectric dam on the Nile River, the country's prime minister has declared, reports Anadolu Agency. The filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be postponed until September, Abiy Ahmed said Friday during a session at the Ethiopian House of Representatives. Initially, the fourth filing of the dam had been scheduled for early August. Abiy emphasized Ethiopia's commitment to addressing the concerns of lower riparian nations, including South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt, on the dam's filling process. "This year's filling will be done differently from the previous three rounds by carrying out the filling in such a way as to alleviate the concerns of the neighboring people," he […]]]> 650637 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230704-russia-rejects-bank-compromise-as-black-sea-grain-expiry-looms/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 18:01:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649677 Russia, on Tuesday, restated a demand for its state agricultural bank to be reconnected to the global SWIFT payments system and said it would not accept a reported compromise proposal, Reuters reports. With 13 days remaining until expiry of the deal that has allowed Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports despite Russia's invasion, Moscow said there had been no progress on any of its key demands, including the banking issue. The Financial Times reported on Monday that the European Union was considering a proposal to allow Russia's Rosselkhozbank to set up a subsidiary that could connect to SWIFT. But Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, dismissed the idea as "deliberately unworkable", saying it would take many months to set […]]]> 649677 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230623-egypt-ethiopia-leaders-shake-hands-at-paris-summit/ Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:58:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646793 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed shook hands and exchanged smiles at the New Global Finance Pact Summit in Paris despite the ongoing crisis between the two countries regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Egyptian media reported. For over a year, the two countries have been at odds over the filling and operation of the GERD, which Cairo fears will reduce its share or Nile water. On 4 June, Al-Sisi urged Ethiopia to "compromise" in the dam crisis, which it has been building for more than a decade, amid disagreements and frozen negotiations. During his time in Paris, Al-Sisi met with President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and discussed bilateral regions and the […]]]> 646793 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230620-egypt-sudan-border-crisis-its-about-showing-we-need-more-funding-to-open-our-borders/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:25:23 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646025 When rival factions began fighting across Sudan in mid-April, thousands of people crossed into Egypt to escape the air strikes and machine gun fire. At the time, the horrors unfolding in Sudan were widespread: reports of rape, a healthcare system close to collapse and soldiers trashing homes hit global headlines. By 17 May, almost 90,000 people had made it into Egypt, mainly via the Argeen crossing, one of two border points connecting the two countries. Conditions were improving, charities reported, following initial delays and a lack of basic sanitary amenities. Then, everything changed. The Egyptian administration decided it was time to step on the brakes, despite the large volume of people still trying to escape. They introduced a series of restrictions […]]]> 646025 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230616-sudan-rejects-kenya-chairmanship-of-igad-mediation-quartet/ Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:28:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=645215 The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the appointment of Kenyan President, William Ruto, as head of a quartet formed by the Inter-governmental Organisation for Development in East Africa (IGAD) to mediate peace in Sudan. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry accused Kenya of "bias" towards the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias, citing statements by senior Kenyan officials and the Kenyan government behaviour in support of the RSF's members. The Ministry explained that the Sudanese government has informed IGAD that it reaffirms its support for appointing South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, as Head of the quartet as prelude to dealing with it. READ: Sudan RSF accused of killing West Darfur Governor Kenya, or the […]]]> 645215 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230607-al-shabaab-terror-group-attack-ethiopia-military-base-in-somalia/ Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:57:02 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=643356 Al-Shabaab launched suicide attacks, Wednesday, on a military base manned by Ethiopian troops in Somalia, injuring four soldiers, according to authorities, Anadolu Agency reports. The attack on the base, located on the outskirts of the Ethiopian-Somali border town of Dolow, involved two vehicles and was promptly foiled by the "vigilant Ethiopian security forces stationed at the base, resulting in the neutralisation of the attackers", according to a statement by the Somali government published on the state-run news agency, SONNA. The first vehicle exploded at the entrance to the base, causing significant damage and injuring four soldiers. The second vehicle was "neutralised" before reaching the base, averting any further harm, it said. "The Ethiopian National Defence Forces stopped the attackers in their […]]]> 643356 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230605-egypt-urges-ethiopia-to-compromise-on-renaissance-dam/ Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:58:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642539 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has urged Ethiopia to accept a "compromise" over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis, Anadolu reported. This came during a joint press conference held with Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al-Ghazouani, in Cairo, according to the official Egyptian News Agency. Addressing the GERD file, Al-Sisi said during his meeting with Al-Ghazouani: "Egypt's water security is an essential component of Arab Water Security." He also stressed "the importance of urging Ethiopia to demonstrate the political will necessary to reach compromise solutions at the negotiating table," noting that "these solutions should protect Ethiopia's interests while respecting the rights and interests of downstream countries." "The ultimate goal is to establish a binding legal agreement on the filling […]]]> 642539 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230530-algeria-fm-africa-cannot-turn-page-on-colonialism-except-through-independence-of-western-sahara/ Tue, 30 May 2023 19:57:46 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=641102 Algerian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf, stated on Tuesday that "Africa cannot completely turn the final page of its colonial history without enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination." During his address commemorating Africa Day, which marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (currently the African Union), the Minister clarified, "Today, we celebrate our collective achievements in promoting peace, security and enhancing economic integration within the framework of activating the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is the focal point of the current African Union session." The Minister emphasised, "It is incumbent upon us, on this occasion, not to forget our sisters and brothers in the last African colony, specifically in […]]]> 641102 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230524-egypt-says-no-deal-with-ethiopia-on-nile-dam-filling/ Wed, 24 May 2023 13:03:15 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=639228 Egypt has denied Ethiopian claims of reaching an agreement on the period of filling a hydroelectric dam being built on the River Nile, Anadolu News Agency reports. Egypt and Ethiopia have been locked in a years-long dispute on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, a tributary of the River Nile. Egypt views the GERD as an existential threat to its share of water from the Nile and wants Addis Ababa to reach a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. Ethiopia sees the Dam as crucial for its development process and denies any harm to the water share of Egypt and Sudan, two downstream countries. Last week, the Arab Summit issued a resolution […]]]> 639228 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230505-iom-more-than-1000-displaced-sudanese-arrive-in-ethiopia-daily/ Fri, 05 May 2023 07:56:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633871 The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday that more than 1,000 displaced people move daily from Sudan to Ethiopia. The organisation explained in a statement published on its website that its Displacement Tracking Matrix has recorded more than 1,000 arrivals daily, including Ethiopians returning to their homeland. It affirmed that "third country nationals (TCNs) from Turkiye, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya and more than 50 other countries" were also making their way to Ethiopia, according to the statement. "Over 12,000 people have arrived at the remote Ethiopian border town of Metema since the fughting started on 15 April," the IOM said. It confirmed that "it is providing essential assistance to those arriving in Ethiopia, including shelter, before their return to their home countries," According to the statement. Since […]]]> 633871 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230502-sudans-people-are-caught-between-the-anvil-of-the-army-and-the-hammer-of-the-rsf-part-two/ Tue, 02 May 2023 18:30:30 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632802 Sudan has witnessed many military coups since independence. The generals have been in power for more than 58 years in total, almost 90 per cent of its years as an independent state. Military rule has been interspersed by transitional periods between the military and short-lived sovereignty councils for periods ranging from one to four years. Of all the generals who seized power, the name of Lieutenant General Abdel Rahman Suwar Al-Dahab stands out. He promised to manage a transitional phase and hand over to a duly-elected civilian government and he kept his promise. In an unprecedented and unique event in the Arab world, he stepped down voluntarily in 1986; no other Arab military ruler has ever handed power to a […]]]> 632802 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230502-un-conflict-could-force-800000-people-to-flee-sudan/ Tue, 02 May 2023 14:05:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632842 The United Nations warned yesterday that more than 800,000 people may flee Sudan due to armed clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, Anadolu news agency reported. "UNHCR, with governments and partners, is preparing for the possibility that over 800,000 people may flee the fighting in Sudan for neighbouring countries," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Twitter. UNHCR, with governments and partners, is preparing for the possibility that over 800,000 people may flee the fighting in Sudan for neighbouring countries.We hope it doesn't come to that, but if violence doesn't stop we will see more people forced to flee Sudan seeking safety. — Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) May 1, 2023 He stressed that he did not […]]]> 632842 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230501-turkish-deputy-foreign-minister-to-visit-ethiopia-for-talks/ Mon, 01 May 2023 13:44:17 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632532 Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar will pay a working visit to Ethiopia on May 1-4, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday, reports Anadolu Agency. In the capital Addis Ababa, Akcapar will hold talks with both Ethiopian and African Union officials. During meetings between Akcapar and Ethiopian authorities, the repatriation of Turkish citizens in conflict-torn Sudan through Ethiopia, bilateral relations, and regional developments will be discussed, said a ministry statement. Previously, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Akcapar will visit Ethiopia soon, touting his "expertise in mediation. At least 528 people have been killed and more than 4,500 injured in clashes between Sudan's army and paramilitaries since April 15, when the conflict began, according to the Sudanese Health […]]]> 632532 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230427-us-african-states-race-to-extend-sudan-truce-gunfire-still-heard/ Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:46:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631738 The United States and African nations were racing to secure an extension of a ceasefire in Sudan on Thursday, with the Sudanese Army giving an initial nod to an African proposal calling for talks even as fighting continued, Reuters reports. Hundreds of people have been killed in nearly two weeks of conflict between the Army and a rival paramilitary force – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – which are locked in a power struggle that threatens to destabilise the wider region. An RSF statement accused the Army of attacking its forces on Thursday and spreading "false rumours", making no reference to the proposal which the Army said came from the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an African regional bloc. Gunfire […]]]> 631738 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230425-sudans-streets-deserted-as-foreigners-flee-lab-seizure-causes-biohazard-risk/ Tue, 25 Apr 2023 14:36:46 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631016 Fighting in Sudan eased on Tuesday and more foreigners and locals fled the capital, Khartoum, where marauding combatants created what a UN agency said was a "high risk of biological hazard" by seizing a laboratory, Reuters reports. The World Health Organisation said one of the warring parties had taken control of a national health facility that stores measles and cholera pathogens for vaccinations, and ejected the technicians. It gave few details and did not say which of the two sides – the Army or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)- had captured the lab, which also contains a major blood bank. An exodus of embassies and aid workers from Africa's third largest country has raised fears that civilians who remain […]]]> 631016 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230425-iom-helps-over-3200-african-migrants-return-home-from-yemen/ Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:34:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630990 The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said it has helped over 3,200 African migrants, including 254 unaccompanied children, return safely to their countries of origin from Yemen this year, Anadolu news agency reported. The UN agency added in a post on its official Twitter account that the operation was supported by the Saudi King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action (KSCHR), and the Office of Population, Refugees and Return of the US State Department. More than 3,200 migrants, including 254 unaccompanied children, have safely returned home this year. ✈️ have taken off from Sana'a, Seiyun and Aden, thanks to support from @KSRelief_EN and @StatePRM We urgently require more funds to help more people stranded in danger. #MRP2023 pic.twitter.com/9PoxZJ67of — […]]]> 630990 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230422-explainer-sudan-conflict-and-what-worries-neighbours-the-us-and-others/ Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:09:17 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630558 A conflict raging in Sudan is rattling neighbouring countries and worrying the United States and others for reasons ranging from concern about shared Nile waters and oil pipelines, to the shape of a new government and a new humanitarian crisis in the making. Sudan, which relies heavily on foreign aid, is no stranger to conflict. But, this time, fighting is tearing apart the capital, instead of a remote corner of a nation, which lies in an unstable region bordering the Red Sea, Sahel and Horn of Africa. Five of Sudan's seven neighbours – Ethiopia, Chad, Central African Republic, Libya and South Sudan – have faced political upheaval or conflict themselves in recent years. The fighting that erupted between the Army and paramilitary Rapid Support […]]]> 630558 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230419-conflict-in-sudan-undermines-africa-democratic-gains-peace-analysts/ Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:47:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630270 The conflict that erupted in Sudan last weekend undermines democratic gains made by the continent, as well as the African Union's agenda of "silencing the guns" in Africa, according to regional analysts, Anadolu News Agency reports. "The ongoing conflict undermines efforts to ensure huge democracy prevails in the region in countries such as Sudan, which has previously seen violence and instability and which was now expected to turn to a peaceful era," Kealeboga Maphunye, a political scientist at the University of South Africa, told Anadolu in an interview Tuesday. Maphunye said the conflict also undermines the African Union's long-term goals of peace, stability and "silencing the guns", an AU flagship initiative of Agenda 2063, which aspirates to end all wars […]]]> 630270 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-factbox-the-struggle-for-power-in-sudan/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 18:00:32 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628896 The Sudanese Army on Thursday warned of the risk of confrontation with the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, as tension between the two groups puts at risk a pending deal to restore civilian government. The following outlines the struggle for power in Sudan in recent years: Who has been in charge in Sudan?  Sudan began its halting transition towards democracy after military generals ousted long-ruling autocrat, Omar Al-Bashir, amid a popular uprising in April 2019. Bashir, an Islamist long shunned by the West, had presided over the country for nearly three decades. Under an August 2019 agreement, the military agreed to share power with civilians ahead of elections. That arrangement was abruptly halted by a 2021 coup, which triggered a new campaign […]]]> 628896 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-ethiopia-tells-egypt-politicising-dam-and-nile-water-benefits-no-one/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:38:53 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628851 Ethiopia's State Minister for Foreign Affairs has said that Egypt's attempt to "politicise" the issues arising from the Grand Renaissance Dam and River Nile water "benefit no one," Anadolu has reported. Meles Alemu Gebremichael made his comment during talks with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. According to the Ethiopian News Agency, Gebremichael explained that his country has a "firm stance on the necessity of continuing trilateral negotiations on the dam and Nile water under the auspices of the African Union. Egypt and Sudan insist on reaching a trilateral agreement on filling and operating the reservoir behind the dam first to ensure the continuation of their annual share of water from […]]]> 628851 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-un-264-ethiopia-migrants-repatriated-from-yemen/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:43:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628838 Some 264 Ethiopian migrants have been repatriated from Yemen, the United Nations' International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced yesterday. IOM pointed out that the Ethiopian nationals were on board the "16th [flight] from Yemen to Addis in 2023," adding that the move was part of the organisation's so-called Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme. "Previous and upcoming voluntary repatriation flights are a lifeline for the thousands of individuals stranded in Yemen," the statement read. The humanitarian organisation noted that more than 2,600 migrants were repatriated from Yemen so far this year. READ: 441 migrants died crossing Mediterranean in 3 months]]> 628838 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230328-mauritania-israel-relations-suspended-in-2009/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:23:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=625090 Mauritania, on Tuesday, denied participation in an environmental training program hosted by Israel, Anadolu News Agency reports. On Sunday, Israeli television channel, i24News, said Mauritania was among participants in a training program hosted by Israel to help African countries deal with desertification in the Sahara region. "Among the prominent participants in the program is the niece of Chad's Foreign Minister that Israel has renewed diplomatic ties with in recent years. Other representatives from the countries of the region came from Djibouti, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Nigeria and Senegal," the broadcaster said, citing a statement by Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen. But the Mauritanian Ministry of Environment categorically denied the report, terming it as an attempt "to mislead […]]]> 625090 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230325-renaissance-dam-ethiopia-announces-90-completion-while-egypt-minister-says-it-will-harm-economic-stability/ Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:22:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=624616 Ethiopian Vice-Chair of the Renaissance Dam Coordinating Council Faqrati Tamru announced on Friday that 90 per cent of the construction of the Renaissance Dam had been completed. Meanwhile, Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Dr Hani Sewilam indicated that the continued uncooperative unilateral measures to operate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam could harm his country and cause immeasurable damage to the social and economic stability of Egypt. Tamru shared, according to Al Jazeera, that the dam faced challenges, diplomatic pressures and an internal war. The Renaissance Dam Project Coordination Council also announced a celebration on Saturday, marking the 12th anniversary of laying the foundation stone for the dam. This announcement came hours after Egypt warned of the economic, social […]]]> 624616 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230322-on-world-water-day-spare-a-thought-for-the-middle-east/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:00:52 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=623224 The Middle East may have an abundance of oil and gas, but it has very few natural water sources. This is fast becoming a source of tension. According to three UN Secretaries-General, water may well be the cause of future conflict in the region. "The next war in the Middle East will be fought over water, not politics," warned Boutros Boutros-Ghali in 1985. Kofi Annan made a similar warning in 2001. Then in 2007 Ban Ki Moon pointed out: "The consequences for humanity are grave. Water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict." The UN initiated World Water Day in 1993 to draw attention to the issue. It has been commemorated on […]]]> 623224 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230321-somalia-faces-135-deaths-per-day-during-drought/ Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:37:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=623696 A record drought sweeping the Horn of Africa may lead to 135 deaths per day in Somalia from January to June, a study by the Somali health ministry, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed yesterday. The study projected a total of 18,100 to 34,200 deaths from drought in Somalia "during the first six months of 2023." It added that, "An estimated 43,000 excess deaths may have occurred in 2022 in Somalia due to the deepening drought… higher than the first year of the 2017–2018 drought crisis." The WHO representative in Somalia, Mamunur Rahman Malik, told the media that his organisation is racing against time to prevent deaths that are avoidable and save lives. "The […]]]> 623696 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230320-ankara-cairo-agree-to-maximise-diplomatic-ties-turkish-foreign-minister/ Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:27:13 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=623289 Ankara and Cairo agreed to maximise the diplomatic relations that were stalled after the 2013 military coup in Egypt, according to Turkiye's Foreign Minister, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We agreed to maximise our diplomatic relations. We have evaluated what steps we will take in the next process. I invited him (Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry) to Ankara. I said that I wanted to host him, especially during the month of Ramadan," Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters. Cavusoglu's remarks came after he met with Shoukry in the capital, Cairo, on Saturday, where the two ministers discussed bilateral relations and regional and international issues. Diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Egypt have been at the level of charges d'affaires on both sides since Egypt's […]]]> 623289 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230315-israel-teachers-caught-using-black-girls-chat-group-to-discuss-ethiopian-students/ Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:46:27 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=622646 Israeli teachers from the city of Netivot have been caught by their Ethiopian students communicating on a racist WhatsApp group chat called "Black Girls School Trip" while on a three-day field trip. The students were sitting directly behind their teachers on a bus during a school trip on Sunday when they noticed their teachers laughing and texting, after which they looked over to find the group chat. One of the girls then proceeded to take photos of the conversation and share it with the rest of the class in addition to publishing a message directed to the "disgraceful" staff on social media, attaching pictures of the offensive messages. The pupil wrote: "Good morning to all the 'educators' of this school. […]]]> 622646 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230315-us-secretary-of-state-meets-ethiopia-officials-to-repair-ties/ Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:29:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=622629 US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Wednesday met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, and other officials in the capital, Addis Ababa, as both countries look to repair ties following war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, Anadolu News Agency reports. "Probably the most important thing is to deepen the peace that has taken hold in the north," Blinken told journalists after the meeting. Speaking to the media, Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Meles Alem, said the two sides commented on the positive development of the cessation of hostilities and the African Union-led Disarmament, Demobilisation and Rehabilitation process and the work of the Ethiopian Rehabilitation Commission. Alem added that the two parties discussed the formation of the interim regional administration in […]]]> 622629 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230309-egypt-calls-for-arab-support-in-ethiopia-dam-dispute/ Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:34:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=620584 Egypt is counting on Arab nations to pressure Ethiopia to halt its "unilateral practices" over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said yesterday. "The continuation of Ethiopia's unilateral practices can potentially carry a grave danger for Egypt, which suffers from water scarcity," Shoukry told Arab foreign ministers in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, noting that his country was "near total dependence on River Nile waters." He added that the Ethiopian government was continuing its "unilateral and uncooperative practices," urging the Arab countries to persuade Addis Ababa "to embrace the necessary political will to accept one of the compromise solutions offered on the negotiations table." Since 2011, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have been in talks to […]]]> 620584 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230306-ethiopia-sudan-agree-to-accelerate-work-to-resolve-border-issues/ Mon, 06 Mar 2023 11:07:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=619590 The head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, yesterday agreed to "accelerate" work on issues of borders and economic cooperation between the two countries, Anadolu news agency reported. The head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, yesterday agreed to "accelerate" work on issues of borders and economic cooperation between the two countries, Anadolu news agency reported. The statement said the two sides also discussed bilateral relations and joint cooperation as well as regional and international issues of common concern. They also held talks on "outstanding issues" and the importance of reaching an agreement on them and following up on the implementation of issues that were agreed upon during Ahmed's recent visit to Khartoum in […]]]> 619590 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230228-ethiopia-holds-aid-campaign-for-turkiyes-quake-victims/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:13:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=618645 Ethiopians launched an aid campaign and have raised 10 million Ethiopian birr ($186,320) for the victims affected by the 6 February earthquakes in southern Turkiye, Anadolu News Agency reports. Despite being struck by civil war and drought, where tens of thousands of lives were lost, the people in Ethiopia gathered forces and mobilised to help the quake-hit victims in Turkiye's 11 provinces. Since the first day, Ethiopians who went to Turkish representative offices in the country to convey condolences, performed funeral prayers in absentia in mosques and prayed for the quake victims and Turkiye. READ: Syria Church in southern Turkiye takes severe damage from February quakes On Monday, a program was organised in the capital, Addis Ababa, for the aid campaign […]]]> 618645 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230219-senior-israeli-diplomat-ejected-from-au-summit-as-row-escalates/ Sun, 19 Feb 2023 14:20:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615983 A senior Israeli diplomat on Saturday was removed from the African Union's annual summit in Ethiopia, as a dispute over Israel's accreditation to the bloc escalated, Reuters reports. Images posted online showed AU security personnel confronting the diplomat during the opening ceremony of the summit, before she left the auditorium. "Israel looks harshly upon the incident in which the deputy director for Africa, Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, was removed from the African Union hall despite her status as an accredited observer with entrance badges," the foreign ministry said. Ebba Kalondo, the spokesperson for the African Union's commission chairman, said the diplomat had been removed because she was not the duly accredited Israeli ambassador to Ethiopia, the official who was expected. READ: Israeli missile strikes […]]]> 615983 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230217-au-commissioner-urges-un-to-acknowledge-rectify-historical-injustices-towards-africa/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 19:07:17 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615833 African Union's political affairs, peace, and security commissioner on Friday urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to acknowledge and rectify the "historical injustices" that have affected the African continent. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bankole Adeoye said: "Let me be clear, it is obvious that to this world, Africa's interests are not fully catered for in the current high-level role being played in the UN Security Council." Adeoye emphasised the need for greater attention to Africa's interests in the Security Council's high-level decision-making processes. "Almost 60% to 70% of the issues are African, we want to be in the driver's seat, we want to have our voice […]]]> 615833 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230202-egypt-holds-talks-with-france-about-renaissance-dam-sahel-and-sahara/ Thu, 02 Feb 2023 14:30:33 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611519 Senior Egyptian officials held discussions about the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with French officials on Wednesday, and accused the Ethiopians of being the cause of the current deadlock in the negotiations. The Egypt-France talks were part of the third round of periodic bilateral discussions on African issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo. "The discussions focused on a number of issues of interest to both sides," explained the ministry. "Views were exchanged on water management issues in Africa, and the Egyptian vision on the issue of the Renaissance Dam was reviewed, along with the current deadlock in negotiations with the Ethiopians." The Egyptians insist that this is an existential priority because the issue of water from the River Nile […]]]> 611519 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230131-somalia-kenya-ethiopia-djibouti-hold-talks-on-joint-anti-terrorism-efforts/ Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:21:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=611188 The defence ministers of Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti met in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on Tuesday to discuss joint anti-terrorism measures, particularly against the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, Anadolu News Agency reports. Discussions focused on mitigating the terrorist threat to "regional security, in full cooperation with the Somali National Army, the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the non-ATMIS forces in Somalia", the Somali Information Ministry said in a statement. READ: Humanitarian operations in Somalia remain challenging: UN Somali Information Minister, Daud Aweis, said the meeting was "crucial" to boost regional anti-terrorism efforts. Somalia has been waging war on all fronts against Al-Shabaab and has decided to bring on board other countries which have an interest in stability in […]]]> 611188 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230125-israel-is-a-state-for-only-some-of-its-citizens-as-the-saga-of-the-captive-black-soldier-highlights/ Wed, 25 Jan 2023 11:34:16 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=609428 The words uttered in Hebrew by a person believed to be Avera Mengistu, an Israeli soldier of Ethiopian origin who was captured and held in Gaza in 2014, are telling. "For how long will I be in captivity? After so many years, where are the state and the people of Israel?" he said on a recent video. Mengistu looked nervous in the footage, but also somewhat defiant. He called on his countrymen to end his nine-year incarceration, and more or less ended speculation in Israel on whether the soldier was alive or dead. The timing of the release of the footage by Hamas was obvious. It was linked directly to the movement's efforts to have a prisoner exchange similar to […]]]> 609428 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221224-jewish-agency-number-of-jewish-immigrants-to-israel-reach-record-high-due-to-ukraine-war/ Sat, 24 Dec 2022 09:30:05 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=602581 The Jewish Agency said yesterday that the year 2022 witnessed "the arrival of 70,000 new immigrants to Israel from 95 different countries, most of them thanks to the war in Ukraine." The agency stated that "it was the largest number of olim to arrive in 23 years and a dramatic increase over the previous year when only 28,600 new immigrants were welcomed." According to the Jewish Agency's figures, "Most of the immigrants came from Russia and Ukraine, according to the report that also showed that the rate of aliyah from most countries has returned to pre-pandemic levels." READ: Israel approves 36,000 new housing units in city of Holon The agency stated that between January and December 2022, 37,364 immigrants arrived in […]]]> 602581 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221222-israel-attracts-highest-number-of-immigrants-in-decades/ Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:01:02 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=602348 Over 70,000 people from 95 different countries migrated to Israel in 2022 with the support of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jerusalem Post has reported. This is the highest number in two decades, and a dramatic increase over 2021, when an estimated 28,600 immigrants settled in the occupation state. According to Jewish Agency figures, published this morning, most immigrants this year are from Russia and Ukraine. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, 37,364 Jews arrived from Russia and 14,680 went from Ukraine. Other notable numbers include 3,500 from North America; 2,049 from France; 1,993 from Belarus; 1,498 from Ethiopia; 985 from Argentina; 526 from Britain; 426 from South Africa; and 356 from […]]]> 602348 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221216-saudi-arrests-hundreds-of-suspected-drug-smugglers/ Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:24:38 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=601123 Saudi authorities have arrested 421 persons who are accused of trying to smuggle large quantities of drugs in four regions of the kingdom. The official spokesman for the General Directorate of the Border Guard, Colonel Misfer Al-Quraini, said that land patrols in the areas of Najran, Jazan, Asir and the northern borders, thwarted attempts to smuggle 52.4 tonnes of the narcotic khat, 807 kilogrammes of cannabis, 475,166 tablets that are subject to medical regulation, and 145,597 amphetamine tablets. READ: Saudi, UK sign defence co-operation plan to deepen military alliance Al-Quraini adding that 421 suspects have been arrested including 39 Saudi citizens and 382 who breached the border security system, who include 342 Yemenis, 38 Ethiopian and two Iraqis. The Saudi border […]]]> 601123