#Ethiopia: #Tigray interim admin seeks five billion birr lifeline amidst salary crisis

Facing a severe budget crisis, Tigray's interim administration has requested a substantial loan of five billion birr from the Ethiopian federal government. This financial distress, which has led to unpaid civil servant wages for 17 months, particularly impacts primary and secondary school teachers. Mihret Beyene, Tigray's finance chief, highlighted the federal government's failure to allocate funds according to the Pretoria Peace Agreement, causing a 2.6 billion birr deficit for the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

The region's teachers, deeply affected by the lack of income, have ceased work in protest, demanding the overdue salaries that affect their livelihoods and ability to fulfill financial commitments. The situation has grown so dire that a peaceful demonstration is being considered for 24 January, 2024, if a timely resolution is not found.

The Tigray Teachers Association has resumed teaching duties in good faith, hoping for a swift government response to their plight. The education bureau's head, Kiros Guesh, acknowledges the teachers' struggles and assures that negotiations with the federal government are ongoing. This financial challenge is not isolated to teachers but is a collective outcry from all government employees in Tigray for the resumption of salary payments.

https://addisstandard.com/news-tigray-interim-admin-seeks-five-billion-birr-lifeline-amidst-salary-crisis/

Deadly drone strikes claim lives in #Ethiopia's #Amhara Region, Sparking Mourning and Fear

In the aftermath of a lethal drone attack in Wegel Tena that claimed five civilian lives, mourning and fear have enveloped communities across Ethiopia's Amhara region. Hospital officials have confirmed the destruction of an ambulance, the tragic loss of its driver, and casualties among employees and civilians from a nearby construction site during the incident on November 30. Footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows the aftermath, with the ambulance destroyed, consistent with an aerial hit.

Experts accuse the Ethiopian government of engaging in collective punishment by failing to differentiate between fighters and non-combatants in its drone targeting. Yirga Gelaw, an Ethiopian academic, stated, "The drone strikes have increased dramatically in recent weeks, and almost all the strikes have targeted civilians."

Both the government and non-state Fano militias claim proximity to victory over the other, but the ongoing conflict appears poised to extend into 2024 as the government increasingly relies on its expanding drone arsenal, supplied by foreign partners such as the #UAE and #Turkey.

Observers denounce the deployment of armed drones against Ethiopian civilians as cruel and a violation of international law. They advocate for the protection of non-combatants and urge a pursuit of negotiated peace, rejecting a strictly military solution to halt the escalating hostilities and the humanitarian crisis gripping the Amhara region.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/29/collective-punishment-ethiopia-drone-strikes-target-civilians-in-amhara

#Ethiopia: Impending drought-related humanitarian crisis in #Tigray prompts urgent international aid appeal

The Tigray region is on the cusp of a humanitarian disaster, with its interim administration issuing a desperate plea for global aid amid war's devastation and severe drought. Echoing the tragic famine of the 1980s, the current crisis has led to widespread destruction of infrastructure, healthcare collapse, and has left millions impoverished and over a million displaced.

The situation is dire, with food insecurity intensified by poor rains, unpredictable climate, and locust infestations. The most vulnerable, including children, the elderly, and pregnant women, are already succumbing to hunger, while millions more face the threat of death. Officials stress the urgency for immediate international intervention to prevent an escalating catastrophe. More than two million people are experiencing acute food shortages, and in just one month, starvation claimed nearly 400 lives, 25 of whom were children.

Despite the severity, some caution against labeling the situation as famine. The federal government's Disaster Risk Management Commission (#DRMC) warns against misinformation, stating, "The information that the drought has escalated to famine is unfounded," urging careful consideration of the crisis's portrayal.

https://addisstandard.com/news-impending-drought-related-humanitarian-crisis-in-tigray-prompts-urgent-international-aid-appeal/

#Ethiopia: #Amhara Region Universities to Resume Classes After Security-Related Academic Interruption

The Ministry of Education has announced that universities in Ethiopia's Amhara region will resume classes in two weeks, starting from January 10, 2024. This decision follows a disruption in the academic calendar due to security concerns in the region, preventing the 10 universities from commencing the first term of the academic year.

The resolution stems from discussions involving key stakeholders, including Minister of Education Professor Birhanu Nega, president of Amhara Region Arega Kebede, university presidents, and relevant security authorities. The ministry highlights that, given the perceived relative stability in the region, a collective agreement has been reached to enable universities to invite students and resume educational proceedings.

#Ethiopia: RRS disputes EHRC's claims, stresses advances in refugee human rights conditions

The Refugees and Returnees Service (#RRS) has refuted the findings of the report disseminated by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (#EHRC) earlier this week, asserting that it fails to reflect the recent improvements in the treatment of refugees.

On 25 December, 2023, the EHRC published a report detailing the human rights conditions of refugees and asylum seekers within Ethiopia. The Commission's report highlighted deficiencies within the refugee registration and documentation process.

In an official communication to the Ethiopian News Agency, the RRS recognized the Commission's endeavor to positively influence the refugee issue. Nevertheless, the service expressed reservations regarding the substance and manner in which the report was presented.

Read more at: https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/1740984048011325782

#Sudan #RSF chief Hemedti foreign trips end isolation

In a significant development amidst Sudan's ongoing conflict, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as 'Hemedti,' has re-emerged on the international stage. This week, Hemedti embarked on his first foreign tour since the outbreak of hostilities between the RSF and the Sudanese army in mid-April, marking his return to the public eye.

His diplomatic journey included a meeting with President of #Uganda, Yoweri Museveni and a visit to the Prime Minister of #Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed in #Addis_Abeba, where discussions centered on "peace and stability in Sudan."

These meetings challenge the narrative of isolation surrounding Hemedti, fueled by rumors concerning his health and political standing.

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/rest-of-africa/sudan-rsf-chief-foreign-trips-end-his-isolation-signal-peace-4477308

#Ethiopia: Unrest fuels health emergency in the #Amhara region, spurs a surge in communicable and non-communicable diseases

The Amhara Regional Health Bureau is currently engaged in a critical struggle, one that extends beyond the immediate conflict engulfing the region. With security in jeopardy, vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, new mothers, and other at-risk individuals are finding it increasingly difficult to secure the necessary health and nutritional support.

This is a direct result of the turmoil, which has seen over 270 health facilities looted and essential medical transportation, including ambulances and patient transport vehicles, stolen or rendered inoperative. Of the 341 health projects initiated to enhance healthcare access, only 89 continue to make progress. The remaining projects have been halted, leaving a void in healthcare provision. The impact is stark: child vaccination rates have dropped below 60%, and more than 700 HIV patients are facing treatment disruptions due to supply chain issues.

#Malaria prevention efforts are also suffering, with control measures like indoor spraying limited to just 6 of the 30 districts in need. The bureau is working tirelessly with public health experts to find solutions to these pressing challenges, but as the conflict persists, the health of the Amhara region's residents hangs in the balance.

https://addisstandard.com/news-unrest-fuels-health-emergency-in-the-amhara-region-spurs-a-surge-in-communicable-and-non-communicable-diseases/

#BRICS to grow as Saudi, Iran, UAE, Egypt, #Ethiopia join ranks

The BRICS alliance is poised for a significant expansion as #Saudi_Arabia, #Iran, the #UAE, Ethiopia, and #Egypt are set to join the group on 01 January, 2024, according to #South_Africa's representative to the bloc. This move integrates some of the world's leading energy producers with major consumers among developing nations, enhancing the group's global influence.

#Argentina, however, has opted out following a policy reversal by its new President Javier Milei. The five new members have already engaged in a BRICS sherpa meeting in #Durban, signaling their commitment to the group, with plans to participate in an upcoming meeting in #Moscow.

Now, with around 30 countries expressing interest in the bloc and #Nigeria aiming to join within two years, BRICS is set to play an even more prominent role on the world stage.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/brics-to-grow-as-saudi-iran-uae-egypt-ethiopia-join-ranks-1.2016308

#Ethiopia: Violent militant assault in North Shewa’s #Dara district results in 18 deaths, six injuries

The Dara district in the #North_Shewa Zone of #Oromia has been rocked by a brutal two-day attack, starting on 24 December, leaving 18 dead and six injured. Local sources blame the "#Fano militants" for the violence, with the militants reportedly coming from neighboring Marabe and Wagidi districts, plus Rema town. The offensive began on the afternoon of 24 December and lasted until the next evening.

A government employee from Dara informed Addis Standard that the attacks, involving heavy weaponry like artillery, targeted multiple villages. Six severely injured individuals are now being treated at Dara Hospital in #Gundo_Meskel, the district's administrative hub.

The violence has also disrupted local education, with the militants' presence leading to the closure of schools in 10 of the district's 41 villages. "All schools in the 41 villages, excluding the district administration center (Gundo Meskel), have been shut down," a source reported.

https://addisstandard.com/news-violent-militant-assault-in-north-shewas-dara-district-results-in-18-deaths-six-injuries/

#Ethiopia- The federal govt slams #Tigray region's alarm bell over impending #famine crisis

On Friday Tigray region's interim president Getachew Reda issued a statement revealing that millions were in the brink of a humanitarian crisis reminiscent of the 1984/85 catastrophic famine.

In response, the federal government slammed the call, accusing regional officials of "politicizing the crisis", "misappropriating" funds allocated for social and economic activities to "feed combatants" and lacking the "moral ground to talk about the suffering of the people."