A day after agreeing a deal on resettling African asylum seekers with the UNHCR rather than forcibly deporting them, Israel announced the deal was off.
Eritreans in Israel aren’t all fleeing persecution, but many have risked everything for a better life in Israel. Now they’re at risk of being ‘sold’ back to Africa.
To improve, African countries need to find a balance between political and economic matters. This is where leadership becomes particularly important. But this is currently lacking on the continent.
Will the latest Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict spiral into a large-scale military confrontation? The odds are highly unlikely: neither side believes it would gain from such an eventuality.
Eritrea achieved independence 25 years ago amid high expectations for its future. Today, the country’s youth make up a large portion of the refugees risking their lives for a better future in Europe.
Press freedom has changed little in the past decade. If the African Union is to commit to the principles of democracy, it needs to do more to uphold freedom of expression and protects its journalists.
In the words of US President Obama: Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. In this light, the South African president’s acceptance of a court ruling against him is a good thing.
China offers an alternative to traditional donors and investors in low- and middle-income countries. Adding to its appeal is its focus on infrastructure projects.
The European obsession with labeling people either economic migrants or refugees hampers understanding of the problems they face. Adding the role remittances play to the debate would help.