Tension on the Border: Refugee Flows and Clashes over Land at the Sudan-Ethiopia Frontier

Since early November 2020, communities in Eastern Sudan bordering Ethiopia have received up to 60.000 refugees fleeing from the ongoing conflict in Tigray in northern Ethiopia. In the aftermath of the first surge of refugees, military clashes over the control of land in the border areas have also taken place. This has led to a tense situation between the two countries, who have for a long time been considered good neighbours.

In this seminar, we will focus on the local dynamics on the border. Exploring the situation in the border state of Gedarif, we look into how both people in the community and the local governments on the Sudanese side are handling the influx of refugees and the clashes on land. While delving into how the recent conflicts have influenced daily life in Gedaref, we will also discuss possible wider regional impacts.

Join the webinar over zoom.

Lovise Aalen,
senior researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute, has researched Ethiopian politics for the last two decades. She has focused on the implementation of ethnic federalism on the ground in Southern Ethiopia, the EPRDF’s ideas of revolutionary democracy and the developmental state, regime-youth interactions, and female political participation in authoritarian contexts.

Gunnar Sørbø,
researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute, has researched Sudan for a long time. He has focused on development policy and planning; conflict and peacebuilding; social impact assessment; agricultural and pastoral systems; and regional analysis and economic adaptations.

Adam Babekir,
researcher dealing with border issues at the Center for Migration Studies, University of Gadarif, Sudan. He is also the coordinator of the Center.