News: #AU joint committee to monitor #Ethiopia peace implementation held inaugural meeting, urges parties to start political dialogue

During the meeting, the committee commended the positive dividends of the peace process between the parties and urged both to commence political dialogue to resolve outstanding issues.

It also commended the progresses made by both parties in terms of implementing the peace agreement, “most notably the restoration of essential services, including banking, telecommunications, medical and humanitarian support in #Tigray”.

However, it urged the parties to facilitate unimpeded road access and land transport, and also expedite the reopening of #schools and other educational facilities in the region.

https://addisstandard.com/news-au-joint-committee-to-monitor-ethiopia-peace-implementation-held-inaugural-meeting-urges-parties-to-start-political-dialogue/

News: #Eritrean leader says #Ethiopia peace made by #US to save #TPLF, third round joint offensive put aside “issue of sovereignty”

In a rare remark about the two years war in the Northern Tigray region of Ethiopia and the peace dead that ended it, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, said that the peace deal signed between Ethiopian government and Tigrayan authorities in Pretoria, South Africa in November last year to end the devastating war was made by the US to save the Tigrayan rebels from loosing in war fronts.

He said that Eritrea “entered into the third round war in unison with Ethiopia having experiences garnered during the first and second phase of the war… putting aside the issue of sovereignty.” Despite his mention of “sovereignty” only during the third round of the war which broke out on 24 August 2022, Eritrean troops are known to have fought alongside the Ethiopian Army and allied militias from the neighboring Amhara region against the Tigrayan forces since the start of the war. But their involvement was only officially admitted in March 2021, for the first time when PM Abiy Ahmed told Ethiopian parliament that, “any damage Eritrean army did to our people was unacceptable.”

https://addisstandard.com/news-eritrean-leader-says-ethiopia-peace-made-by-us-to-save-tplf-third-round-joint-offensive-put-aside-issue-of-sovereignty/

In #Ethiopia, we are leaving no girl behind

Access to education is limited in Ethiopia, especially for girls in remote rural areas. Numerous cultural, social, and economic barriers stand in the way of girls accessing education, and once in education, there is a high dropout rate among girls.

Amina (18) is a mother of three girls, living with her husband in the #Afar region of Ethiopia. She was one of 43 students who happily enrolled in classes when the CHANGE project established a learning centre in her village in March 2022. Amina is among the most talented students attending the Cohort-3 basic literacy and numeracy programme at Kebirtobolo Learning Centre. Despite her household responsibilities, she does her classwork and homework regularly. Amina also supports her classmates by explaining what she understands and encourages them to do their classwork and homework properly.

https://www.peopleinneed.net/in-ethiopia-we-are-leaving-no-girl-behind-10009gp

News: Families of ten youngsters abducted by #Eritrean forces near #Axum in distraught over their whereabouts

By Mihret G/kristos

The families of the 10 youths who were abducted by Eritrean troops from Gure Endagabir, a place around Axum city, in the Tigray regional state, on 18 January 2023 ,have expressed their deep distraught about the whereabouts of their sons.

Three family members who spoke with #AddisStandard in exclusive interviews said that following the abduction, they have traveled to a camp near Shire where the Eritrean troops were said to have been stationed in search of their loved ones but upon reaching there, they learnt that the troops have already left the camp and took the abducted youths with them.

Abeba Tesfay, the Administrator of Laelay Maychew district, which surrounds the city of Axum, has confirmed to Addis Standard that nine young men are abducted from Endabagabir village in Aksum were taken to unknown place by Eritrean troops.

https://addisstandard.com/news-families-of-ten-youngsters-abducted-by-eritrean-forces-near-axum-in-distraught-over-their-whereabouts/

Commentary: Why I believe #Ethiopia will soon be drained of its physicians

By Ephrem Kirub, MD

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa with dire need of physicians. According to World Bank data, in 2018, there were 0.0769 physicians per 1000 people in Ethiopia. This number is significantly lower than the WHO’s recommendation of doctor to population ratio of at least 1:1000. This is mainly because of limited number of physicians who graduate every year.

To make matters worse, many physicians go abroad every year. According to a world bank 2011 report, 26% of Ethiopian physicians are practicing abroad. Although recent data is unavailable, I have personally witnessed more than 50 colleagues and senior physicians leaving abroad in the past two years. But, What is the reason? Why do so many physicians leave? Well, there are plenty of reasons.

Firstly, physicians in Ethiopia are one of the lowest-paid in the world. A family physician makes $250 per month, while a specialist physician makes $300. Don’t get me wrong. I will not compare it with a physician salary in the U.S, Canada, or even neighboring Kenya, which pays its doctors around $1500 per month.

https://addisstandard.com/commentary-why-i-believe-ethiopia-will-soon-be-drained-of-its-physicians/

#ASDailyScoop: Yemeni Airways launches biweekly flight from #Aden, #Yemen, to #AddisAbeba, #Ethiopia

Yemeni Airways announced the launch of twice a week flights to Addis Abeba from Aden starting today 15 February.

The last time flag carrier of the war torn Yemen flew to Addis Abeba from Aden was in 2015, according to the airways’ Ethiopia Area Manager, Fouad Attashi.

Fouad told #AddisStandard that the airways will operate its flights every Wednesday and Friday weekly, adding that, the resumption of Aden to Addis Ababa flight will help travelers to transit to the rest of the world.

https://addisstandard.com/asdailyscoop-yemeni-airways-launch-biweekly-flight-from-aden-to-addis-abeba/

#Ethiopia: #Ethiopians grim after two years of war

Highlights

*Two-thirds of Ethiopians report not having enough money for
food

*Ratings of life today drop to a new low

*41% reported experiencing worry yesterday, a new high

The war between Ethiopian and Tigrayan forces may have ended, but the struggle is far from over for most Ethiopians. Battered by two years of war, COVID-19 and rising food costs, Ethiopians surveyed at the tail end of the war in 2022 found themselves in the grimmest situation in more than a decade.

While unable to access the Tigray region because of the conflict, the latest Gallup study conducted throughout the rest of Ethiopia in the fall of 2022 found a record-high 65% of Ethiopians reporting they struggled to afford food in the past year.

***
When asked to rate their lives today on a scale of 0 to 10, Ethiopians' average rating dropped from 4.5 in 2020 to just 3.6 today, the lowest rating since Gallup began tracking this metric in Ethiopia in 2012. This is well below the 2021 average worldwide (5.3) as well as in sub-Saharan Africa (4.5).

https://news.gallup.com/poll/468992/ethiopians-grim-two-years-war.aspx

#Ethiopia: Security forces detain two journalists amidst crackdown following ongoing #Orthodox Church schism, ensuing unrest

Following the ongoing schism within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) and the ensuing unrest, two media professionals, journalist and political analyst Tewodros Asfaw, and Deacon Yosef Ketema, a journalist for EOTC Afaan Oromoo broadcast service, have been detained by security forces this week.

Tewodros Asfaw, who is also the founder of a YouTube channel called Ethio Selam was taken from his home by security forces on Tuesday 14 February, around 2:00 PM local time, his brother Biniam Asfaw said in an interview on the channel.

He was picked up from his residence in Addis Abeba by two armed security forces together with four others in civilian clothes, according to his brother’s account, adding that they did not present any court order for his arrest.

Similarly, a journalist at the EOTC Broadcasting Service Agency (EOTC TV), deacon Yosef Ketema was detained on Monday, 13 February, by security forces, the church has announced.

https://addisstandard.com/news-security-forces-detain-two-journalists-amidst-crackdown-following-ongoing-orthodox-church-schism-ensuing-unrest/

News: At least 50 killed on IDPs shelter in East #Wollega, attack blamed on #Oromo rebels; eight youths killed by federal forces accused of links with rebels: Rights Commission

A new report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said at least 50 people, including women and children, were killed in a attack between 02 and 04 February targeting an IDP camp in East Wollega zone, Gobu Seyu Woreda, Ano town of the Oromia regional state.

Similarly, eight youths were killed by the federal security forces after the army recaptured the city following the attack on the IDP. They were “killed on suspicion of collaborating with Shena:, the report said.

On the other hand, the Commission cited an interview of OLA spokesman #OdaaTabii on their response to the accusations given to the Voice of America, in which the group “admitted to having committed the attack. However, without providing evidence, they stated that the attack was on members of the Amhara forces who were training in the camp and not on civilians.”

However, EHRC said that the main targets of the attack were IDPs who have been displaced from different localities of the Gobu Sayo woreda and have taken shelter in different parts of the town.

https://addisstandard.com/news-at-least-50-killed-on-idps-in-east-wollega-attack-blamed-on-oromo-rebels-eight-more-killed-by-federal-forces-accused-of-links-with-rebels-rights-commission/

News: At least 50 killed on IDPs shelter in East #Wollega, attack blamed on #Oromo rebels; eight youths killed by federal forces accused of links with rebels: Rights Commission

A new report by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said at least 50 people, including women and children, were killed in a attack between 02 and 04 February targeting an IDP camp in East Wollega zone, Gobu Seyu Woreda, Ano town of the Oromia regional state.

Similarly, eight youths were killed by the federal security forces after the army recaptured the city following the attack on the IDP. They were “killed on suspicion of collaborating with Shena:, the report said.

On the other hand, the Commission cited an interview of OLA spokesman #OdaaTabii on their response to the accusations given to the Voice of America, in which the group “admitted to having committed the attack. However, without providing evidence, they stated that the attack was on members of the Amhara forces who were training in the camp and not on civilians.”

However, EHRC said that the main targets of the attack were IDPs who have been displaced from different localities of the Gobu Sayo woreda and have taken shelter in different parts of the town.

https://addisstandard.com/news-at-least-50-killed-on-idps-in-east-wollega-attack-blamed-on-oromo-rebels-eight-more-killed-by-federal-forces-accused-of-links-with-rebels-rights-commission/

#Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma breaks indoor 3,000m world record

#Lamecha smashed the 25-year-old indoor 3,000m record of Kenya’s Daniel Komen (7:24.90), which has stood since 1998. Girma’s time was so fast that even his pacemakers couldn’t keep up, dropping out of the race one mile in. World 1,500m bronze medallist Mohamed Katir of Spain held to Lamecha’s heels until the final lap, falling off for second in a European record of 7:24.68 (now the second fastest time in history).

To put Lamecha's time in perspective, his pace over the 3,000m was two minutes and 28 seconds per kilometre and 3:58 per mile. Lamecha went through 1,500m in 3:42 and through 2,000m in a mind-boggling four minutes and 55 seconds.

https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/ethiopias-lamecha-girma-breaks-indoor-3000m-world-record/