Summary: the Saudi response to an influx of Ethiopian migrants has been to launch a brutal campaign of mass murder, rape and torture driving migrants who survive back into Yemen where they face further atrocities from all sides in the Yemen conflict.
Summary: desperate African migrants are using war-torn Yemen as a transit route with most attempting to reach Saudi Arabia but they are suffering appalling violence both inside Yemen and from Saudi forces at the border.
Summary: the war and the humanitarian disaster it has caused have received intermittent coverage but the story of Yemen’s 4.3 million IDPs has been virtually ignored.
Number 3 in the top ten is a podcast that aired 28 May 2021. It featured Aslı Aydıntaşbaş and Cinzia Bianco. Aslı is a Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and Cinzia is a Visiting Fellow at the Council. They co-authored the paper, “Useful Enemies – How the Turkey-UAE rivalry is remaking the Middle East”.
Summary: a brewing conflict between generals is proving useful to Abu Dhabi’s goals to fortify its growing power in Sudan and do Moscow a good turn as it seeks to position itself as the Middle East’s key power player.
Summary: Sudan’s coup leader, finding himself lacking the support of key outside players has been forced into a U-turn.
Summary: Ethiopia will soon begin the second filling of the reservoir behind its huge dam on the Blue Nile, with no agreement with Egypt and Sudan in place (or in prospect).
Summary: On 20 May 2021 Arab Digest interviewed EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation Christian Berger about relations with Egypt and issues that included arms sales and human rights
Summary: with the US pivoting to Asia and further disengaging from the Gulf, Abu Dhabi and the Chinese are enjoying a warm economic embrace.
Summary: a massive container ship blocks the Suez canal for 6 days causing one of the biggest disruptions to trade in recent years; it should also set off alarm bells about regional and global security.
