About: Eritrea
Eritrea: an open-air prison, EU indifferent
Despite the dire situation on the ground in Eritrea, EU countries and the European Union as a whole look the other way. Benoit Lannoo explains why
A wind of change in the Horn of Africa will reach Europe’s shores
The "summer of love" breaking out on the Horn of Africa represents a new reality for the region – and one that will be felt in Europe, writes Faisal Al Yafai.
Female genital mutilation: Putting human rights at the core of Europe’s asylum system
Female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors, and women and girls at risk, are particularly vulnerable in the asylum system. They must receive support to help them navigate the process, writes Liuska Sanna.
Migration expert: ‘Integration always happens’
French political philosopher Sami Naïr has proposed a "transit passport" for refugees and has warned that the EU stands at a juncture; one path leads to civilisation, the other towards "barbarism". EURACTIV Spain reports.
EU foreign policy risks fuelling displacement and terror
While the EU’s foreign policy recognises the importance of promoting peace and stability beyond its borders, it also emphasises the need to align development aid with strategic priorities. This is indicative of a wider risk, writes Kloe Tricot O’Farrell.
Italy: Germany to accept hundreds of migrants to boost EU program
Germany has agreed to take in hundreds of migrants who are blocked in Italy in a move that might revive the European Union's failed relocation program, Italy's Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday (23 August).
Oxfam: World’s richest countries host just 9% of all refugees
The six biggest economies in the world currently host only 2.1 million refugees between them, while the poorest countries are forced to bear most of the burden, according to a new report by Oxfam. EURACTIV France reports.
EU decried for seeking deal with ‘North Korea of Africa’
Despite crimes against humanity being commonplace in Eritrea, the EU wants to deal with Eritrea's autocratic regime on a border protection project, using development aid under German leadership. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Refugee country ‘safe lists’ complicated by European disunity
The Geneva Convention clearly defines where can be considered a "safe country of origin", but the refugee crisis has complicated the issue and thrust it back into the limelight. EURACTIV’s partner treffpunkteuropa.de reports.
EU aid in the Horn of Africa
Europe's action in Ethiopia and the wider Horn of Africa region provides a telling example of the challenges international donours face when trying to link emergency assistance with long-term development aid.
EU: Supporting the Ethiopian people now, and over the long term
Ethiopia is being hit hard by one the most severe El Niño phenomenon on record. Numbers speak for themselves – in the past year, the number of food insecure people has increased from 2.9 million to over 10 million at present, write Neven Mimica and Christos Stylianides.
Refugee children must be protected
At the EU summit that starts today (18 February), Europe’s leaders cannot fail child refugees. The freedoms and prosperity of the continent are on the line, writes Ester-Asin Martinez.
Spain tests new refugee reception plan
Spain has launched a test programme for the reception of immigrants, focused on a group of 50 refugees mainly from Eritrea, government sources announced Monday (26 October). EURACTIV Spain reports.
Battling migrant crisis, EU urges Eritrea to respect human rights
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on Tuesday (20 October) for greater respect for human rights in Eritrea, a major source of refugees who risk their lives trying to to reach Europe.
Refugees face harsh plight in Greece
Global attention has focused on Greece's brush with financial collapse over the past few weeks. But meanwhile, one of the other great crises facing Europe has continued out of the spotlight, with a steady stream of migrants arriving in Athens.
Amnesty warns of failing EU migration policies
Amnesty International today (7 July) accused Balkan countries of mistreating migrants passing through their territories on the way to the European Union, saying people fleeing war were being "shamefully let down", and denouncing “failing EU migration policies”.
UN finds Eritrea may have committed crimes against humanity
Eritrea may have committed crimes against humanity, a year-long UN human rights inquiry said in a report published yesterday (8 June) describing extrajudicial killings, widespread torture, sexual slavery and enforced labour.
The EU must focus on the root causes of migration
The EU is planning to act against human traffickers in the Mediterranean. But the plight of refugees can only be relieved when its foreign policy engagement is strengthened, write Ronja Kempin and Ronja Scheler.
EU to double size of Mediterranean rescue operations
As the first of up to 900 bodies from the deadliest known shipwreck of migrants trying to reach Europe were brought ashore, the European Union yesterday (20 April) proposed doubling the size of its Mediterranean search and rescue operations.
Jan Eliasson: There is no peace without development
UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, who just returned from a number of missions to Iraq, Iran and Lebanon, said Tuesday (3 February) that the international community and the EU should be more active after the end of a conflict, to make sure that it does not happen again.
Italy rescues 1,800 migrants over the weekend
Italy's navy said it rescued nearly 1,800 migrants in overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean over the weekend, and a merchant ship recovered five bodies from a sinking rubber raft off the coast of Libya.