More than 20,000 refugees have fled to Sudan since the beginning of fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.
With the conflict escalating in Ethiopia between the government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, Sudan is having to host thousands just weeks after declaring an economic emergency.
The fleeing men, women and children are being housed in so-called transit centres after crossing into Sudan from the Hamdayet border point in the Sudanese state of Kassala. One is close to Hamdayet; another, named Village 8, is about 35 kilometres from the Lugdi crossing point.
The situation is chaotic at the Hamdayet centre, where 10,000 people are staying in and around a space designed for 500, UNHCR external relations officer Sophie Jessen told The National.
Water is being delivered in barrels and masks in large numbers, too, but maintaining social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus among the refugees is an impossibility.
Beyond Hamdayet, at least 1,200 people have been relocated to another, betterequipped facility with a capacity of about 6,000 people.
“There’s still a critical need to identify and equip new settlement sites for refugees to ease pressure at the transit centres, which are overcrowded," Ms Jessen said.
"But for now – we’re just providing food and medical services – we have stationed protection staff at the entry points to identify high-risk cases and special needs."
Civilians are not the only group fleeing the violence. Also at the Hamdayet border, incoming combatants are being asked to disarm and are then relocated to a separate facility by the Sudanese government.
“This maintains the civilian characteristic of the refugees,” Ms Jessen said.
Sudan is already one of the world’s largest dependents on international aid to cover shortages in food and medicine and poor water sanitation. In September Sudan's transitional government, headed by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, declared an economic state of emergency.
In Hamdayet and at Lugdi, members of the Sudanese community have come together to provide food and shelter to the refugees, Ms Jessen said.
The conflict in Tigray between the separatist Peoples Liberation Front has escalated over the past few days with the group claiming a rocket attack on the Eritrean city of Asmara on Saturday.
The Front claims that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is using Eritreans in his attacks against them. Ethiopia denies the allegations.
Tigray is under a communications blackout since the conflict began in recent weeks, which has made the refugees essentially isolated from friends and family back home. It is still unclear what their fate is and what their long-term plans are.
The Peoples Liberation Front has had long-standing complaints over what they say is Mr Abiy's marginalisation of the group under political reforms and objects to any extensions of his rule after delays in Ethiopian national elections.
As an average of 2,500 displaced people per day continue to arrive, the situation on the border and in Tigray is one of flux – and civilians are once again left to suffer.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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