#Ethiopia, #IMF staff agree program review that could unlock $260 million

Ethiopia and the International Monetary Fund have reached a staff-level agreement on the third review of the country's $3.4 billion loan program from the lender, the Fund said on Friday.

Once approved by the IMF's Executive Board, Ethiopia will gain access to another $260 million in financing.

"The (Ethiopian) authorities' policy actions in the first year of the program have yielded strong results. The transition to a flexible exchange rate regime has proceeded with little disruption," the IMF statement said.

Macroeconomic indicators have performed better than expected, with substantially better outcomes than forecast for inflation, goods exports and international reserves."
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopia-imf-staff-agree-programme-review-that-could-unlock-260-million-2025-05-30/

#Ethiopian Health Professionals Association calls for halt to vacancy announcements targeting striking health workers, urges negotiated resolution

The Ethiopian Health Professionals Association (#EHPA) has urged the government to “immediately stop” issuing what it described as “vacancy announcements targeting professionals who are making demands,” amid a continuing nationwide strike by healthcare workers. In a statement released on 30 May, EHPA reiterated its support for what it called a “just and peaceful demand,” and stated that it had long called on authorities to give “an appropriate response.” However, the association said the lack of such a response has now resulted in a work stoppage that is causing “various hardships” to the wider public.

EHPA said it “welcomes and recognizes” the efforts of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (#EHRC) to mediate between the government and the striking professionals, and expressed hope that “the problems will find peaceful solutions.” It affirmed its commitment to “continue and strengthen” engagement with the Commission. The statement followed preliminary discussions between members of the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement (#EHPM) and the Ministry of Health. According to EHPM, although no agreement was reached, “some level of understanding” had been achieved in a separate conversation with EHRC, which offered to “mediate with the Ministry.”

EHPA also called for the “complete and unconditional release” of detained health workers, describing the charges against them as “fabricated” and based on “unreasonable suspicion.” EHPA argued that the arrests violate rights to organize and collectively bargain, protected under international labor conventions ratified by Ethiopia. It also demanded “an immediate stop” to “dismissals from work,” the use of “threats and intimidation,” and vacancy postings aimed at replacing striking professionals.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50596

Exclusive: #Somaliland president says recognition of state ‘on the horizon’ following #Trump talks

The new president of Somaliland says his state, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, is on the brink of securing international recognition – a development that would inflame tensions in the already tumultuous Horn of Africa.

In an interview in the presidential palace in the capital, Hargeisa, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi tells the Guardian it is “likely” that Somaliland will finally win acceptance of its right to self-determination, which has eluded the territory since it declared independencefrom Somalia 34 years ago.

“Recognition is on the horizon,” says the 69-year-old.

Such a move would infuriate Somalia, which would view it as an attack on its sovereignty, unsettle regional powers in the strategic peninsula and fan broader concern that it sets a precedent for secessionist movements across the African continent.

Despite its relative stability and regular democratic elections, Somaliland, a territory of about five million people, has yet to be recognised as independent by a single nation.

“It’s a matter of time. Not if, but when and who will lead the recognition of Somaliland,” says Abdullahi.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/may/30/exclusive-somaliland-president-says-recognition-of-state-on-the-horizon-following-trump-talks

#Sudan #RSF leader vows push to #Khartoum, #Darfur governor denies retreat

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) deputy leader, Abdel Rahim Daglo, on Friday vowed his fighters would continue their eastward advance towards the capital Khartoum, adding that all the armed groups members of the Tasis coalition are now fighting along with his paramilitary group. While the army’s ally and the Darfur governor downplayed recent battlefield setbacks for the army as “reorganization.”

The RSF’s deputy leader told a gathering of his troops at an undisclosed location that they had achieved “great victories” in Al-Dubaibat and Al-Hammadi in South Kordofan state, and Al-Khawi in West Kordofan.

The RSF stated on Thursday that it had retaken Al-Dubaibat, Al-Hammadi, Kazgail, Al-Khawi, and Umm Samima in the Kordofan region. However, army-aligned soldiers later released video footage purportedly showing their control over Umm Samima, west of El Obeid, North Kordofan’s capital.

https://sudantribune.com/article301466/

#Ethiopia: CPJ dismayed by two-year sentence of Somali journalist; says conviction based on post he “did not write”

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it is “dismayed” by the sentencing of Somali journalist Ahmed Awga, founder of #Jigjiga Television Network, to two years in prison over a Facebook post the organization said he “did not write.”

In a statement issued on May 30, CPJ said the Fafen Zone High Court in Jigjiga, capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Region, found Ahmed guilty on May 22 under the 2020 anti-hate speech law. He had been detained since April 23, following what CPJ described as charges “initially related” to an interview he conducted with a man whose son had reportedly died “after an alleged police beating,” and “commentary” published on Ahmed’s Facebook page.

According to CPJ, the journalist was first charged with incitement, but the charge was later amended to “propagation of disinformation and public incitement,” as stated in the charge sheet reviewed by the organization.

https://addisstandard.com/cpj-dismayed-by-two-year-sentence-of-somali-journalist-says-conviction-based-on-post-he-did-not-write/?amp=1

#Ethiopia's Ministry of Health confirms first Mpox death; total cases rise to six

Ethiopia has recorded its first death from Mpox, the Ministry of Health announced on 31 May, as the total number of confirmed cases in the country rises to six.

According to the Ministry’s Mpox daily report, compiled jointly with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (#EPHI), Ethiopia has so far reported six confirmed cases, with five currently active.

The update confirmed that one patient had died, marking the first Mpox-related fatality since the virus was detected in the country.

No new cases or recoveries were reported in the latest update, and there are no severe cases to date. According to the Ministry, nine laboratory tests were conducted, bringing the total number of tests performed since the virus's emergence in the country to fifteen.

Read more: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1928873887002923092

#Op_ed: #Addis_Abeba's Urban Makeover: Why governance will make or break it

Addis Abeba is undergoing a significant urban transformation through the Corridor Development Project (#CDP), launched in 2022 to create cleaner, greener, and more accessible public spaces. The initiative has already delivered visible improvements, including new parks, walkways, and upgraded infrastructure. But as Dr. Kassahun Kelifa Suleman, the author of this op-ed, argues, its long-term success depends not on aesthetics but on governance. As he puts it, “It’s not enough to simply build infrastructure,” emphasizing that “The governance of these projects…is what will determine whether the CDP delivers lasting economic and social value for all residents.”

According to Dr. Kassahun, these developments are reshaping both the city’s physical environment and its social dynamics. Green spaces are helping reduce local temperatures by 2–3°C, improve air quality, and boost public health. However, he warns these gains are precarious.  “Addis Abeba’s governance system is struggling to keep pace with the project’s ambition,” he notes, raising concerns about the sustainability of these achievements.

A major challenge, he points out, is fragmented oversight. To illustrate this, the author references a 2022 study finding that only half the city’s green spaces are formally managed, with responsibilities split across multiple agencies. Financial constraints add to the problem, Dr. Kassahun notes, as the city's budget may not stretch far enough to maintain all the new infrastructure. 

To secure the CDP’s future, he recommends three key actions: “institutionalize green space governance,” “empower communities,” and “leverage technology” for smarter oversight. Without these steps, Dr. Kassahun cautions, “the project’s achievements could be short-lived.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50615

#US airstrikes in #Somalia killed up to 174 people in 2025, monitoring group says

At least 109 to 174 people have been killed in 34 U.S. airstrikes conducted in Somalia so far in 2025, according to a report by the New America Foundation, a Washington-based policy institute that monitors American drone and airstrike campaigns worldwide.

The organization did not specify the number of non-combatants killed. The report also noted that “during Trump’s first term, AFRICOM carried out 219 airstrikes in Somalia that left 6–31 civilians dead.”

The rise in airstrikes coincides with an escalation in U.S. military operations against extremist groups operating in Somalia, including al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia. U.S. Africa Command (#AFRICOM) has intensified its efforts to support the Somali government in counterterrorism operations across the country.

General Michael Langley, commander of AFRICOM, recently acknowledged the uptick in strikes, saying the U.S. remains committed to “disrupting and degrading” extremist networks that pose a threat to regional and international stability

https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/us-airstrikes-in-somalia-killed-up-to-174-people-in-2025-monitoring-group-says

#Ethiopia: Cargo trucks resume entry into #Tigray, following federal suspension over claims goods were ‘smuggled outside region’

Cargo trucks carrying goods to Tigray have resumed travel after federal authorities had earlier “prohibited the vehicles from entering” the region, citing claims that supplies were “being smuggled outside of the region’s borders” and “sold illegally through contraband,” according to the Tigray Interim Administration. The blockade, which affected trucks traveling through the #Afar and #Amhara regions, was lifted following talks between Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede and Federal Police Commissioner General Demelash Gebremichael.

The Tigray President’s Office stated that both sides “agreed to establish a joint committee” to “investigate whether the information is accurate,” and that “a corrective and control system” would follow the findings. It added that trucks halted mid-route would be “immediately released” and emphasized that “such disruptions will not happen again” under the new understanding. The move followed a letter from the Tigray Trade and Documentation Agency urging the Ministry of Trade to clarify “why they were prohibited” and to “take appropriate measures” in response.

Opposition parties in Tigray, including TIP, Baytona, and Arena, criticized the obstruction, stating they “strongly condemn the obstruction of trucks carrying consumables to Tigray.” The joint statement argued the federal government “bears full responsibility—if not for orchestrating it, then for failing to prevent it or even condemn it.” They warned that the blockade “evokes painful memories of the genocidal blockade imposed during the war” and described the restriction of supplies as “unjust, dangerous, and fuels conditions that embolden those seeking to exploit the crisis.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50619

#Sudan’s new prime minister dissolves caretaker government

Sudan’s new Prime Minister Kamil Idris on Sunday dissolved the caretaker government, a day after he was sworn in before the chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Idris announced the dissolution of the Cabinet and instructed ministry secretaries-general and undersecretaries to run government operations “until a new one is formed,” according to Sudan’s state-run news agency SUNA.

In his first address to the nation, Idris said, “Our highest priority is safeguarding Sudan’s national security and state sovereignty by defeating the insurgency and armed rebel groups.” He also urged countries supporting the rebellion to “stop planning, financing and cooperating in such efforts,” without naming any specific states. Idris pledged to uphold the “principles of justice, peace, the rule of law and sustainable development” and said, “We will treat all political and national actors equally and stand at an equal distance from all.”

Idris said his government would promote “an inclusive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue that leaves no one behind.” The post of prime minister had previously been informally held by Dafallah Al-Haj Yousif, Sudan’s former ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/sudan-s-new-prime-minister-dissolves-caretaker-government/3586279

#Ethiopia: Federal Supreme Court reinstates dropped charges against Taye Dendea; case returned to High Court

The Federal Supreme Court has reinstated two criminal charges previously dropped against former State Minister of Peace, Taye Dendea, following an appeal by the Federal Attorney General. The court's decision reverses an August 2024 ruling by the Lideta Branch of the Federal High Court, which had acquitted Taye of charges related to “propaganda messages in support of anti-peace forces” posted on social media and expressed in an interview. The initial court found that his remarks “did not constitute criminal acts” and fell within the bounds of his constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court, however, accepted the Attorney General's argument that the acquittals were “granted in error,” and referred the case back to the Federal High Court for further proceedings. Taye’s legal team, cited by the BBC, confirmed the reinstatement of the charges and said it remains unclear whether his bail—previously granted following the acquittals—will be revoked. The case is expected to be addressed in an upcoming session. A third charge related to the alleged possession of “unauthorized weapons” remains under trial.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50628

#Ethiopia: Defense Minister dismisses accusation of indiscriminate attacks by #ENDF, says mistakes are inevitable during operations

Aisha Mohammed, Ethiopian Minister of Defense, has dismissed accusations of indiscriminate attacks by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), calling them “political opportunists' outcry” lacking substance. In a recent interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, responding to a question about accusations of indiscriminate attacks by the ENDF, he asserted that while no military operation is without flaws, the ENDF is a disciplined and professional force.

“I do not accept the characterization of the ENDF portrayed by some on social media. This is propaganda,” she said, describing the force as grounded in patriotism, discipline, science, and wisdom. Aisha emphasized that Ethiopia’s army is respected internationally, especially in peacekeeping missions, where its presence brings calm and contributes to reconciliation.


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Bill Gates to direct ‘majority’ of $200 billion pledge to ‘address challenges’ in #Africa

Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, said that the “majority” of his pledged $200 billion donation over the next two decades will be “spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.” Speaking at the African Union’s Nelson Mandela Hall, Gates urged African leaders “to seize the moment to accelerate progress in health and development through innovation and partnership, despite current headwinds.” He said that “by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity – and that path is an exciting thing to be part of.”

Gates emphasized that “investing in primary healthcare has the greatest impact on health and wellbeing.” He said, “With primary healthcare, what we’ve learned is that helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before she gets pregnant, while she is pregnant, delivers the strongest results,” and added that ensuring good early childhood nutrition “makes all the difference.” He said countries like #Ethiopia and #Rwanda are “showing what’s possible when bold leadership harnesses innovation.”

Renowned African leaders welcomed Gates’ continued engagement. Mrs. Graça Machel, advocate for women and children, described the current situation as “a moment of crisis” and said Gates’ long-standing partnership with Africa reflects “a deep understanding of these challenges and a respect for African leadership, ideas and innovation.” WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Africa’s health progress is due to “strong government leadership, resilient communities, and partnerships that deliver results.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50642

#Ethiopia: Taye Dendea arrested from his residence hours after court reinstated dropped charges

Former State Minister of Peace Taye Dendea was arrested from his residence on Monday afternoon, hours after the Federal Supreme Court ruled to reinstate two previously dropped charges against him and referred the case back to the Federal High Court. His lawyer told Addis Standard the arrest took place around 4:00 PM, adding, “I was with him earlier in the morning, during the court session at around 11:00 AM.” He said the arrest “was not made in relation to today’s court ruling,” and that federal police told Taye they “wanted to talk to him at the office” before detaining him.

The Federal Supreme Court earlier ruled in favor of an appeal filed by the Federal Attorney General to reinstate charges accusing Taye of posting “propaganda messages in support of anti-peace forces” on social media and making similar remarks during an interview. The Lideta Branch of the Federal High Court had acquitted him in August 2024, stating that the content “did not constitute criminal acts” and was protected by his constitutional right to free expression.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50645

#Sweden allocates $7.8 million to #UNICEF programme in #Ethiopia; support targets women, children through social protection

Sweden has pledged $7.8 million to UNICEF in support of a new programme designed to strengthen social protection, livelihoods, and resilience for women and children in Ethiopia. The funding agreement—formalized on June 2 in Addis Abeba—was signed by Hans Henric Lundquist, Sweden’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, and Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia.

The initiative, noscriptd Strengthened Resilience and Livelihoods: Making Social Protection Work for Women and Children, will benefit an estimated 173,250 individuals across 34,650 households. According to Sweden’s Ambassador, the programme "will empower women and children in vulnerable situations," while also supporting Ethiopia's efforts to "take greater responsibility for its own population." Lundquist noted that Sweden’s contribution would “help build resilience” and support the government’s ambition to expand domestic funding for social protection.

UNICEF’s Kampo called the partnership “an important step” in addressing the “root causes of childhood deprivation.” He added that the approach goes beyond addressing immediate needs and seeks to “transform systems” to ensure children in Ethiopia can “thrive with dignity and opportunity.” The programme will focus on expanding cash assistance, improving access to social services, and creating economic opportunities, particularly for vulnerable groups facing the compounded effects of poverty and crisis.

https://unric.org/en/sweden-invests-in-livelihoods-and-resilience-building-for-women-and-children-in-ethiopia/

#Ethiopia: “Our ideology is intended to address the criticisms that both #TPLF and #EPRDF used to face from the international community” — Prof. Kindeya Gebrehiwot

Tigray Democratic Solidarity (#Simret), which recently received temporary recognition“as a regional political party from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (#NEBE), says its guiding ideology is intended to address “the criticisms that both TPLF and EPRDF used to face from the international community,” according to Professor Kindeya Gebrehiwot, the party’s External Relations Coordinator and former Head of the Cabinet Secretariat for the Transformation of Social Development under the Tigray Interim Administration.

Speaking to Addis Standard about the party’s formation and objectives, Professor Kindeya said Simret is built on “a mindset that takes into account the current state of thought our world has reached,” and that it “considers the overall situation of the region and the country.” He described the party’s ideology as one that aims to “fulfill the desire for change,” which he said is “particularly igniting among farmers, youth, and intellectuals in #Tigray.” He added that the party seeks to ensure “high-level respect and protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms.” At the same time, he said it “fundamentally corrects the criticisms” previously directed at ruling parties.

Redae Halefom, Simret’s Communication Head and former head of the Communications Bureau of the Tigray Interim Administration, said in a press statement issued on 31 May that the party was formed “because the problems that occurred in the region after the bloody war in Tigray need to be solved with new thinking.” He said “there is no stable life in Tigray” and the people “need a different path.” He added that the organization they were formerly part of “lacks the capacity to accept new thinking.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50662

#Opinion: Unpacking Resolution 2714:  Why #UN arms embargo lift on #Somalia leaves #Somaliland excluded, vulnerable

In December 2023, the UN Security Council lifted a long-standing arms embargo on Somalia through Resolution 2714. While the decision marked a victory for the Federal Government of Somalia (#FGS) in its fight against Al-Shabaab, Abdifatah Saeed Jama, the author of this opinion piece, argues that the resolution “overlooked Somaliland.”

“The resolution was designed to support the FGS as it assumes full responsibility for national security…,” he notes, adding, “However, by granting arms transfer authority solely to the FGS — and by extension, denying it to all others — the UN has effectively disenfranchised Somaliland and overlooked its decades of institutional capacity, stability, and responsible self-governance.”

Although the resolution authorizes only the FGS to legally receive arms, the author contends that it “sidelines Somaliland” despite its long-standing record of “institutional capacity, stability, and responsible self-governance.” He argues that this policy not only denies Somaliland “the ability to equip its own forces for internal security and counter-terrorism” but also “risks inflaming tensions” in areas such as Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn, where recent clashes have escalated.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=50655