#Egypt, #Somalia announce strategic partnership to strengthen relations

The agreement aims to bolster security, drive sustainable economic development, and address mutual challenges in the Horn of Africa and the #Red_Sea regions.

Both countries aim to establish mechanisms for regular consultations at the presidential and ministerial levels to oversee the implementation of joint strategies and explore new avenues for cooperation.

Egypt pledged to continue its military support to Somalia under the 2024 military cooperation protocol, with an emphasis on counterterrorism, training, and securing borders.

Egypt will also assist Somalia in reforming its judicial system, drafting a new constitution, and preparing for elections in line with national goals.

https://egyptian-gazette.com/egypt/egypt-somalia-announce-strategic-partnership-to-strengthen-relations/

#Ethiopia: 11 killed in alleged attack by “gov’t security forces” in Gojjam’s #Quarit district, #Amhara region

At least 11 individuals, including a local priest and children, were reportedly killed in Sheba kebele, Quarit district, West #Gojjam zone, during what residents described as an alleged attack by “government security forces.” Residents who spoke with Addis Standard claimed the incident occurred on Monday, January 20, 2025, as the military advanced toward Adet town during the Epiphany celebration.

Another resident confirmed that 11 individuals, including children, were killed. “They were shot and killed instantly. Even children were not spared,” they said, noting that a local priest was among the victims. The burial ceremony for the deceased reportedly took place on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at Sheba Giorgis Church. Residents alleged the attack was carried out by “government security forces” on “peaceful people.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48139

#Ethiopia: Families, residents voice concerns as 20 #Karrayyu Gadaa leaders, community elders remain missing for 18 days

Families and residents of Fentale district, East Shewa Zone, Oromia, have expressed deep concern about the fate of 20 Karrayyu Gadaa leaders and community elders, arrested on January 6, 2025, and missing for 18 days. According to family members, the detainees were summoned by the Fentale district administration for a meeting and detained by security forces. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.

“We have no idea where they were taken. Twenty of those arrested are completely unaccounted for,” a family member told Addis Standard. Another added, “Officials told us, ‘No one is detained here.’ We fear for their safety.” Negasan, a resident, linked the arrests to the leaders’ reported refusal to facilitate the reintegration of Oromo Liberation Army (#OLA) fighters. The leaders emphasized that they could only assist willing returnees and cautioned against disrupting the Gadaa system, which they described as “preserved for generations.” Efforts to obtain comments from local officials have been unsuccessful.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48143

#Ethiopia demands #UK return artefacts, calls their possession ‘immoral’

Ethiopia has called on the #UK to return treasures taken during the 1868 Battle of Magdala, describing their continued possession as "immoral." The artefacts, which include sacred items of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, are held in the Royal Collection and other UK institutions. Ethiopian officials plan to formally request support from the UK Government next year, as part of a broader campaign to reclaim cultural heritage.

Abebaw Ayalew Gella, director general of Ethiopia’s Heritage Authority, emphasized the sacred nature of the artefacts. "You don’t just put them somewhere. They are sacred," he said, referring to illuminated manunoscripts adorned with religious icons. He further noted, "A manunoscript with illumination is always considered sacred. You don’t even touch them."

The campaign follows precedents such as Queen Elizabeth II’s 1965 return of a royal cap and seal to Ethiopia. Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, a grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie, called the return of symbolic treasures "a form of restorative justice." He added, "It would be a great initiative for His Majesty to do that."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2025/01/24/king-charles-ethiopia-return-treasures-royal-collection/

#Ethiopia: Muslim students at #Dilla University allege niqab ban, forcing some to stay in Mosque for days

Forty-four female Muslim students at Dilla University allege they have been barred from entering the campus for wearing the niqab, with some staying in a mosque for over five days. According to the students, the niqab was previously allowed but was recently prohibited due to "security concerns." One student explained, “Initially, it wasn’t strictly enforced,” and later, they were told “we couldn’t wear a black mask while wearing a hijab.”

The Chairperson of the Muslim Students’ Association confirmed that “many Muslim students have been staying in the mosque for the past five days” and are unable to attend exams or complete assignments. The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has urged the Ministry of Education for a permanent solution, emphasizing, “Muslim female students at Dilla University should be allowed to resume their studies without obstruction.” The university has denied these allegations, stating, “Wearing the hijab has not been prohibited at our university.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48150

#Sudanese army reclaims strategic base in #Khartoum after prolonged siege by #RSF

The Sudanese army on Friday announced it had broken a 21-month siege on its Signal Corps headquarters in Bahri, a district of the capital, Khartoum. The siege, imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the start of the conflict, reportedly ended after coordinated operations involving forces from Omdurman and Bahri.

"Our forces completed their operations today, with the forces from Omdurman and Bahri joining our troops stationed at the General Command headquarters," the army said in a statement, without elaborating on operational details.

The RSF disputed the claims, accusing the military of staging "imaginary battles" and declaring "false victories."

Privately-owned Al-Sudani newspaper reported that army units reached soldiers trapped at the Signal Corps base in Bahri, a location of strategic importance along the Blue Nile. Videos circulating on social media showed soldiers celebrating and reuniting with previously encircled forces.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/sudanese-army-reclaims-strategic-base-in-khartoum-after-prolonged-siege-by-rsf/3461668

#Ethiopia: #EHRC reports widespread extrajudicial killings, including pregnant women and children, amid conflicts in #Amhara and #Oromia

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reported widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings of pregnant women and children, in its latest quarterly report. Covering mid-September to December 2024, the report detailed incidents of killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and destruction of property in conflict-hit areas of Amhara and Oromia.

In Amhara, government forces allegedly killed eight civilians in South Gondar Zone’s Libo Kemkem district, including a nine-month pregnant woman and a child, accused of being “Fano family members” or “supporting Fano.” The EHRC accused #Fano militias of killing eight civilians in West Gondar Zone for allegedly “supporting the Prosperity Party government” or “fighting Fano alongside the military.” In Oromia, two residents of Lalo Geleta Kebele, kellem Wollega Zone, were reportedly killed by government forces on accusations of “supporting the Oromo Liberation Army.” The OLA was also accused of killing five civilians in Southwest Shewa Zone’s Ameya district for “supporting local government security forces.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48155

#US orders immediate pause to foreign aid, leaked memo says

The US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, according to an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies abroad.

The leaked notice follows President Trump's executive order issued on Monday for a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy.

The United States is the world's biggest international aid donor spending $68bn in 2023 according to government figures. The State Department notice appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid.

It makes exceptions only for emergency food aid and for military funding for #Israel and #Egypt. The leaked memo's contents have been confirmed by the BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9nx5k7lv0o

Opinion: #Tigray military forces: partial arbitrator of conflict?

On January 23, some senior members of the Tigray military forces made an unprecedented announcement calling for the dissolution and restructuring of the region’s interim administration. They expressed support for one faction within the TPLF’s political divide, abandoning their previously neutral stance, and escalating Tigray’s political crisis into a potential military crisis.

In this opinion piece, Semhal Meles, the daughter of Ethiopia’s late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and one of the founders of the TPLF, warns that the escalating military fissure is “likely to lead to some degree of wider armed conflict and even greater deterioration of the already precarious law and order situation in Tigray, and potentially leading to [a] permanent fracture of the Tigrayan national identity.”

Semhal cautions that the federal government is “likely to keep encouraging all factions thereby fanning the flames,” although Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is unlikely to accept the “Tigrayan military forces’ offer to brawl before testing the waters with the Trump administration.”

The writer warns that Tigray “can’t afford internal beef,” emphasizing that “there can be no assurance of our continued survival as a people, let alone one with a nation, should our elite fail to alert itself to the nature of the threats that lay before us and act accordingly.”

“Our leaders need to get it together and grow up; we want peace.”

Read the full article here: https://addisstandard.com/?p=48168

#Somaliland President embarks on official visit to the #UAE

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) has embarked on his first official visit to the United Arab Emirates (#UAE). The trip follows an official invitation from the UAE government, reflecting the deepening ties between the two nations. To emphasize the significance of the visit, the UAE provided a private jet for the President’s travel, underscoring the respect and esteem in which Somaliland’s leadership is held.

Accompanying the President were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of the Presidency, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the Chief of Intelligence, the President’s Senior Economic Advisor, the Head of the Presidential Office, and other key staff members.

Key UAE investments in Somaliland, such as the Berbera Port and the Berbera Corridor road connecting Somaliland to Ethiopia, have positioned the country as a strategic hub for trade in the Horn of Africa. These projects have not only enhanced Somaliland’s economic potential but have also contributed to regional connectivity and development.
https://www.horndiplomat.com/2025/01/26/somaliland-president-embarks-on-official-visit-to-the-uae/

70 people killed in attack on hospital in #Sudan's Darfur region: #UN

A drone attack on a hospital in El-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North #Darfur state, has killed 70 people, including patients receiving critical care, the United Nations reported. The attack, reportedly carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (#RSF), destroyed the hospital’s emergency building, according to a medical source.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, called the incident “a shocking violation of international humanitarian law.” She added, “The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure needs to cease immediately, and those responsible must be held accountable.”

The World Health Organization described the assault as “appalling.” Its director, Tedros Adhanom, said the attack occurred while “the hospital was packed with patients receiving care,” urging all parties to ensure “full access for the swift restoration of the facilities that have been damaged.”

El-Fasher has been under siege by the RSF since May, as the group seeks to gain control of the last remaining state capital in Darfur not under their rule. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has devastated Sudan’s health care system, leaving 80 percent of hospitals inoperable in conflict zones.

https://www.trtworld.com/africa/70-people-killed-in-attack-on-hospital-in-sudans-darfur-region-un-18258229

#Somalia, #Egypt agree to cooperate in fight against terrorism

The Ministry of Defense of Somalia announced Sunday that Somalia and Egypt have agreed to cooperate in the fight against al-Shabaab, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda. The announcement followed final technical discussions on the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (#AUSSOM), which began its five-year mandate earlier this month.

In a statement, the Ministry said, “The Federal Government of Somalia is cognizant of the role Egypt can partake in eliminating the Khawaarij and looks forward to their contribution alongside other Troop Partner Nations.” The term “Khawaarij” is used by the Somali government to refer to al-Shabaab.

The announcement comes days after Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo. According to the Somalia presidency, the two leaders “agreed to upgrade the relationship between the two countries to the level of a strategic partnership” and strengthen cooperation in “education, justice, politics, security, communications and economy.” They also signed an agreement exempting Somali diplomatic passport holders from visas.

In August 2024, Somalia and Egypt signed a defense pact to enhance bilateral security cooperation. Trade relations between the two countries have also expanded, with trade volume reaching $59 million in the first half of 2024, compared to $31 million during the same period in 2023, according to Egypt’s statistics authority.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/somalia-egypt-agree-to-cooperate-in-fight-against-terrorism/3463213

#Ethiopia: Earthquake assessment declares humanitarian needs in #Oromia’s #Fentale district ‘severe’; seismic activities affect three out of four residents

A recent seismic earthquake impact assessment in the Fentale district of East Shewa Zone, Oromia region, found humanitarian needs to be “severe” as communities deal with the effects of multiple shocks, including conflict and drought. The report, jointly conducted by the government and humanitarian partners, classified Daga Hedu Kebele as facing “severe” conditions, while Benti Kebele was described as experiencing “extremely severe” humanitarian challenges.

The report highlighted that “all 18 kebeles” within Fentale district, including Haro Kersa, Debiti, and Kobo near the Fentale Mountain epicenter, have been severely affected. Displacement has been widespread, with approximately 20,325 individuals from the district relocated to 11 designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) sites. Many are “living in precarious conditions near Metahara town,” lacking access to food, shelter, and basic supplies, and are reportedly sleeping “in open areas without mats or plastic sheets,” the assessment stated.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48175

Scientists discover new snake species in #Ethiopia after two decades in captivity

A new species of African house snake, Boaedon broadleyi, has been identified in Ethiopia after spending nearly 20 years in captivity. The species, named after herpetologist Donald George Broadley, was described in a study published in Zootaxa by researchers Jakob Hallermann and Oliver Hawlitschek.

The snake, which measures over four feet in length, is characterized by olive-green scales, a creamy underbelly, and short white stripes near its head. It inhabits various environments in Ethiopia, including woodlands, grasslands, and cultivated areas near human settlements, at elevations ranging from 2,400 to 9,800 feet.

The first specimen of the species was captured in Ethiopia in the late 1980s and kept in captivity until 2006, when it was donated to a #German museum. Genetic analysis of museum specimens and newly collected samples confirmed its classification as a distinct species

https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/01/kept-in-captivity-for-20-years-this-4-foot-predator-is-now-a-newly-discovered-species/

#Op_ed: Weaponized Rape in #Tigray: Call for global justice against war crimes, crimes against humanity and atrocities

In this op-ed, Batseba Seifu, a human rights advocate, sheds light on the weaponization of sexual violence during the Tigray war, emphasizing its continued prevalence despite the signing of the Pretoria peace agreement in 2022. The author highlights that the atrocities committed, including widespread sexual violence against women, girls, and men, represent a deliberate strategy aimed at inflicting maximum suffering and dismantling the social fabric of Tigrayan society. She underscores the need for justice and accountability for these crimes, which remain unaddressed.

The author draws on reports from organizations such as Physicians for Human Rights and Amnesty International, detailing the systematic use of sexual violence and its devastating impact on survivors and their communities. The op-ed highlights that over 120,000 cases of gender-based violence have been documented, though the actual figures are believed to be significantly higher. The author emphasizes that these acts are not incidental but were employed as a deliberate tactic during the war.

Batseba also points to the failure of Ethiopian national laws and international legal frameworks in addressing these atrocities. She calls for urgent action, including independent investigations, medical and psychological support for survivors, and efforts to combat the stigma associated with sexual violence.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=48160