#Tigray interim president warns #Simret Party against armed activity, urges political dialogue

Lt. Gen. Tadesse Worede, president of the Tigray Interim Administration, has cautioned the Simret Party, the newly formed political party led by Getachew Reda, PM Abiy Ahmed’s advisor on East African Affairs, against involvement in armed struggle, urging the group to commit to peaceful political engagement.

In an interview with local media, Lt. Gen. Tadesse confirmed reports that the Simret Party is preparing to open offices in Tigray, stating that no formal request has been received. “If they complete the required procedures with the election board, they can proceed,” he said.

However, he expressed concern over the party’s alleged ties to armed groups in Afar, warning, “They must not act as spoilers.” Citing a recent deadly clash near the border, Lt. Gen. Tadesse called for political dialogue and restraint and called on federal and regional actors to support efforts to resolve tensions through peaceful means.

#Ethiopian Airlines #denies claims of proposed wet-lease agreement with #Russian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has firmly denied reports alleging that it has entered into an agreement to lease aircraft or spare parts to a Russian airline, calling the claims “completely false.”

Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, dismissed the allegations during a press briefing held earlier today at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Abeba, where he presented the company’s performance for the 2024/2025 Ethiopian fiscal year.

Recent media reports claimed that a Russian delegation led by Trade Commissioner Yaroslav V. Tarasyuk met with Ethiopia's Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) on 29 July to propose wet-leasing aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines and collaborating on aircraft maintenance.

Citing Ethiopia’s Boeing-accredited Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities, the media reports claimed that the Russian delegation also expressed interest in supplying Russian-made navigational equipment, expanding MRO facilities in Ethiopia, and finalizing a new bilateral air transport agreement.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51663

#Op_ed: From #Tigray to #Gaza: Rising use of aid blockades as war strategy, global response under scrutiny

“Food is back on the battlefield, and food security is no longer just a humanitarian issue: it is now a systematic, political, and strategic problem,” writes Emanuele Rossi, the author of this op-ed. He highlights how the increasing use of aid blockades as a wartime strategy is causing global alarm, noting that global leaders and humanitarian agencies at the recent #UN Food Systems Summit in #Addis_Abeba warned that this alarming trend threatens both peace and human dignity.

The author cites the war in Tigray, which ended in 2022, as one telling example. He recalls how the international community repeatedly raised concerns over the blockade of humanitarian assistance, which placed well over five million people at risk. According to Rossi, this is far from an isolated incident. He notes that #Russia has been accused of employing starvation as a weapon in the besieged Ukrainian city of #Mariupol, while similar strategies have been documented in #Syria, #South_Sudan, and #Yemen.

Furthermore, Rossi contends, “The link between conflict and hunger is currently most visible in Gaza.” He refers to a recent warning by the World Health Organization (#WHO) that the risk of famine in Gaza is rising due to the “deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid.” The report reveals that the entire population of 2.1 million people is suffering from “prolonged food shortages,” with nearly half a million facing “catastrophic levels of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness, and death.”

The author emphasizes that “food is a right, not a privilege,” arguing that as hunger is increasingly used as an instrument of war and political leverage, the global community must confront it as both a moral responsibility and a geopolitical priority. Rossi concludes by stating, "Ensuring the right to food is a collective duty, central to the future stability of the global order."

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51660

#Ethiopia appoints new Ambassador to #Somalia after nearly a year of diplomatic rift

Ethiopia has appointed Suleiman Dedefo Woshe as its new ambassador to Somalia, nearly a year after a diplomatic fallout led to a freeze in ambassadorial-level ties. Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, received Ambassador Suleiman's credentials during a ceremony in Mogadishu, signaling a renewed diplomatic cooperation between the Horn of Africa neighboring countries.

The appointment follows a period of strained relations that began in October 2024, when Somalia expelled an Ethiopian diplomat for allegedly violating diplomatic norms and later ousted Ethiopia’s then-ambassador. The fallout was further exacerbated by Ethiopia’s MoU with Somaliland, which Somalia saw as a violation of its sovereignty.

Although Turkish-brokered talks to defuse the tensions produced the “Ankara Declaration” in December 2024, efforts to bring about concrete results have since faltered, with no progress reported since April 2025.


https://addisstandard.com/?p=51669

#Ethiopian Airlines reports $7.6B revenue, confirms #frozen funds in #Eritrea remain inaccessible

Ethiopian Airlines transported more than 19 million domestic and international passengers and earned 7.6 billion USD in revenue during the 2024/2025 Ethiopian budget year, marking an 8 % increase from the previous year, CEO Mesfin Tasew announced today

The CEO admitted that multiple regional and global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as having significantly disrupted airline operations over the past year. He also cited U.S. government regulations as a growing challenge to air transport services.

“Despite these challenges, the global air transport industry managed to serve 5 billion customers,” he said, adding that Ethiopian Airlines delivered a comparatively strong performance.

Addressing the unresolved issue of Ethiopian Airlines’ frozen bank account in Eritrea, which led to the suspension of flights to Asmara in September last year, the CEO confirmed that the seized funds remain unrecovered.

“We pursued legal measures to recover the money through the courts, but the efforts were unsuccessful. Therefore, the issue is a political decision,” he said.


https://addisstandard.com/?p=51672

#Askari complete #technical due diligence at #Ethiopia project

Askari Metals has completed technical due diligence on the Nejo gold and copper project, in Ethiopia, a key condition precedent for settlement of the acquisition, subject to shareholder approval.

The company has finalised a regional exploration programme at the Guji-Gudeya and Guliso gold trends, including design of soil and rock sampling and geological mapping ahead of maiden drilling campaign.

“We are pleased that the technical due diligence has been successfully concluded at our Nejo project.

“Our on-site due diligence was focused on the drill-ready targets of Guji, Komto 1 and Komto 2 validating and verifying historical drilling and trenching along the highly prospective Guji-Gudeya gold trend,” executive director Gino D’Anna explains.

https://www.miningweekly.com/article/askari-complete-technical-due-diligence-at-ethiopia-project-2025-08-05

#Egypt renews ‘water security’ fears in #Uganda as #Ethiopia readies to inaugurate Renaissance Dam

Egypt has renewed its diplomatic offensive over the Nile River by dispatching senior officials to Uganda, raising concerns over its “existential” water security ahead of Ethiopia’s planned inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD) in September.

Despite Ethiopia’s repeated assurances that the GERD supports regional development and poses no harm to downstream countries, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Minister of Water Hani Sewilam warned of “unilateral actions” and vowed to pursue “all measures” under international law to safeguard “Egypt’s water security.”

The Egyptian high-level delegation visit to Uganda comes less than a week after a series of another high-level lobby in Washington D.C. and amid Cairo’s continued refusal to join the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), the only legally binding framework negotiated by Nile Basin states to govern equitable water use.

Ethiopia’s Water Minister Habtamu Itefa highlighted Egypt’s contradictory and obstructionist stance in February this year, revealing its attempts to block a ministerial visit to the GERD during a Nile Basin Initiative meeting in Addis Abeba. “This showed who stands for cooperation and who stands against progress,” Habtamu said.

In July Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that the GERD’s official inauguration would be held in September 2025 and extended formal invitations to Egypt, Sudan, and all Nile Basin countries.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51678

Over 5,000 displaced as #Awash River #floods hit Southwest Shewa; 2,400 hectares of crops destroyed

Torrential rainfall over the weekend triggered severe flooding along the Awash River in Ilu and Sebeta Hawas districts of the Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia region, displacing more than 5,000 people and damaging over 2,400 hectares of farmland, local officials told Addis Standard.

Tadele Tesfaye, chief administrator of Ilu district, said the Awash River overflowed at four points on Saturday night, inundating two kebeles - Werarso Kelina and Mulo Sexayie - and forcing residents to evacuate.

In Sebeta Hawas district, Ashenafi Nuguse, the district’s chief administrator, said the river overflowed into Awash Balloo kebele, displacing 240 households and damaging both crops and livestock. Remaining residents are reportedly living in fear of further flooding.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51681

‘#Geography should never define #destiny’: António Guterres

Secretary-General of the United Nations said this at the Opening of the 'Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3)' in Awaza on 05 August.

Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), representing 7% of the world’s population but only 1% of global trade, face systemic marginalization due to geographic isolation, high transport costs, and economic dependency on raw commodity exports, he said.

The UN called for “a new decade of ambition” under the Awaza Program of Action to tackle the structural inequalities deepened by conflict, debt, climate change, and outdated global financial systems.

#Ethiopian #Israelis bear heavy burden in #Gaza war: ‘These are everyone’s sons’

Ethiopian Israelis make up a disproportionately high number of fallen soldiers, driven by a deep-rooted cultural sense of duty and patriotism.

An opinion piece published in The Jerusalem Post highlighted that roughly 90% of Israeli men of Ethiopian descent enlist in the IDF, and about half of them serve in combat roles. Among women, the enlistment rate is around 70% — both figures are significantly higher than the national average.

A proud Ethiopian Israeli, Oriya had one goal: to give back to his country, his father, Eyov Goshen, said.

“The young people in our community choose to be in combat,” Goshen said. “We respect the young people who choose to fight for the country.”

This sense of duty is deeply rooted in Ethiopian culture, explained Shmuel Legesse, an international educator and community activist of Ethiopian descent.

“According to our culture, it is heroic to join the army and die for your country,” Legesse said.

But Legesse also believes the contributions and sacrifices of Ethiopian Israeli soldiers are too often overlooked.

“When we fall in battle, the world remains silent,” he said, expressing frustration that his community is still depreciated. “I don’t feel like enough has been done to recognize our community’s contribution. It is not identified, counted, or given enough attention by the media or the government. The individuals who lost their loved ones are not supported or assisted enough.”

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rk68ot1uee

#KEFI #Gold and #Copper completes early works at Tulu Kapi

KEFI Gold and Copper has completed the early works required to enable the full launch of construction at its Tulu Kapi gold project in Ethiopia.

Inspections by the relevant independent certifiers, security, community and site preparations are considered all in order for full project launch.

The company has also updated its finance plan and financial model, and the full financing is expected to close next month.

The project finance plan and financial model are now undergoing final review and certification for inclusion in the final definitive documentation for signing.

Subject to final approvals, the updated finance plan remains consistent with recent guidance presented at the KEFI AGM.

This specified that total development capital required is approximately US$420 million, including the mining fleet. This is expected to be funded through approximately US$110 million in contractor funding, US$240 million in bank debt, and around US$70 million in additional equity risk capital.

The required equity risk capital of approximately US$70 million includes around US$10 million which has already been spent, with the balance assembled at the subsidiary level and now being refined and finalised against the final budgets and consequential Financial Model.

Board meetings for KEFI, KME and TKGM - the joint Board of KEFI and the Ethiopian Sovereign Fund, Federal Ministry of Finance and the Oromia Regional Government - are scheduled in sequence during August 2025 for signing all documents. Other parties are expected then to proceed to countersign according to their respective board schedules.

https://www.voxmarkets.co.uk/articles/kefi-gold-and-copper-completes-early-works-at-tulu-kapi-7d29d8c/

#Windstorm displaces 26,000 in Afdera; #flood risks heighten climate crisis fears

A windstorm that struck Afdera Town in Ethiopia’s Afar Region on 15 July displaced nearly 26,000 people, destroyed more than 2,500 homes, and left thousands without shelter, food, or clean water, according to CARE Ethiopia.

Located in the Danakil Depression, Afdera suffered extensive damage to public infrastructure, with one fatality reported. CARE warned that the disaster underscores how climate change is disproportionately affecting remote and vulnerable communities.

“There is nothing left to eat and nowhere to sleep,” said Asiya Mahamoda, a mother of six whose home was destroyed.

CARE Ethiopia has called for urgent humanitarian support and long-term investment in community resilience. Meanwhile, forecasts indicate above-average rainfall through September, with up to 300,000 people at risk of flooding across the country.

According to the latest update by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) acute food insecurity remains widespread across Ethiopia, driven by a combination of weather-related shocks, failed seasonal rains, and the lingering impacts of conflict.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51689

Thousands in #Sudan’s besieged el-Fasher at ‘risk of #starvation’, #UN warns

North Darfur’s capital has been under RSF siege for more than a year with key roads blocked and supplies running out.

Thousands of families trapped in the besieged city of el-Fasher in western Sudan are at “risk of starvation”, the World Food Programme (WFP) warns as the country’s brutal civil war rages well into its third year.

Since May last year, el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, has been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been at war with the government-aligned Sudanese armed forces (SAF) since April 2023.

The RSF has encircled the city, blocking all major roads and trapping hundreds of thousands of civilians, who have dwindling food supplies and limited humanitarian access.

“Everyone in el-Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive,” said Eric Perdison, the WFP’s regional director for East and Southern Africa.

“People’s coping mechanisms have been completely exhausted by over two years of war. Without immediate and sustained access, lives will be lost.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/5/thousands-in-sudans-besieged-el-fasher-at-risk-of-starvation-un-warns

New #AFRICOM chief says #US engagement with #Somaliland ‘in our interest’

The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, to lead United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), as the Pentagon and Congress signal growing interest in expanding ties with Somaliland.

Anderson, 54, was confirmed by unanimous voice vote on July 31 before lawmakers adjourned for the summer recess. He becomes the first U.S. Air Force officer to lead AFRICOM since its founding in 2007, breaking a pattern of Army and Marine appointments.

According to The Africa Report, with the Pentagon looking to deepen its partnership with Somaliland, he went to give proponents of independents some reason for optimism. “I think it’s in our interest to have some level of engagement in that region,” Anderson said. “Whether that’s with the federal government or the member states, I think that’s something I would have to assess if confirmed.”

His comments come as U.S. policy appears to be shifting. In its Fiscal Year 2026 budget, the U.S. Congress directed the Secretary of State to explore avenues for deeper bilateral cooperation with Somaliland.

According to the House Appropriations Committee report for H.R. 4779, the State Department is required to submit a report within 120 days of enactment outlining potential areas of engagement - including security, diplomacy, trade, and development.

Somaliland, which regained its statehood from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally, has emerged as a potential U.S. partner amid growing global competition in the Red Sea region.

Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Irro” is expected to travel to Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks for high-level meetings with U.S. officials. Talks are expected to cover possible U.S. access to Somaliland’s Red Sea port of Berbera, use of military facilities, and cooperation in developing critical mineral resources.
https://www.horndiplomat.com/2025/08/new-africom-chief-backs-deeper-u-s-ties-with-somaliland/

Humanitarian aid cuts cripple #Gambella #refugee camps amid rising #malnutrition, #malaria

Refugee camps in Ethiopia’s Gambella region are facing a deepening humanitarian crisis following significant international aid cuts that have crippled essential services, including food distribution, health care, and disease prevention.

The region, which hosts more than 395,000 refugees—mostly from South Sudan across seven camps—is witnessing a surge in child malnutrition, malaria cases, and patient admissions, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which has operated in Kule refugee camp for over a decade.

The sharp decline in humanitarian assistance, driven by global funding reductions from key donors such as USAID, has already forced the suspension of nutrition programs in four of the seven camps, placing an estimated 80,000 children under five at risk of life-threatening malnutrition.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51694

#Drought claims more than 20 people in #Kolla_Tembien signaling deepening humanitarian crisis in war-torn #Tigray

At least 22 people have died and more than 27,000 livestock have perished in Kolla Tembien, Central Tigray, as a severe drought grips the war-affected region, local officials told Addis Standard. The worsening toll reflects a deepening humanitarian emergency unfolding in an area still reeling from the impact of the two-year devastating war.

Farmers report withered sesame fields and widespread crop failure, while health workers warn of growing cases of acute malnutrition, especially among children and the elderly. “People are already dying. We are helpless without urgent support,” said Goitom Gebrehaweria,a local administrator in Yaqer, highlighting the urgent need for food and water relief.

Despite appeals from local officials and a commitment from the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) to dispatch aid following an emergency cabinet meeting on 04 August, no assistance has reached the district. The crisis in Kolla Tembien compounded by the two-year devastating war, displacement, and political fragmentation that have left Tigray dangerously vulnerable to climate shocks.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51697

Two #Ghanaian ministers die in #helicopter crash, along with six others

Ghana's ministers of defence and environment have died in a military helicopter crash in the central Ashanti region, along with six other people, a government spokesperson says.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah told a press conference that Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, 50, had been killed in the crash, which he described as a "national tragedy".

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces said the aircraft, which was carrying three crew and five passengers, had gone "off the radar".

It had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the gold-mining town of Obuasi for a national event.

The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash.

The chief of staff has directed the country's flags to fly at half-mast.

He extended condolences to "the servicemen who died in service to the country," on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8zjxwgj9jo

#Sudan says #UAE bars Sudanese planes from landing at its airports

The United Arab Emirates has banned Sudanese planes from landing at its airports, Sudan's state news agency quoted its Civil Aviation Authority as saying on Wednesday, in the latest sign of tension between the two countries.

The UAE also barred a Sudanese airliner from taking off from Abu Dhabi airport, the Sudanese authority said.

Sudan's authority voiced surprise at the reported decision and said it was following up with airlines to reprogramme reservations for passengers arriving in and departing from the Gulf country.

Abu Dhabi authorities did not immediately comment on the Sudanese statement.

Sudan cut diplomatic relations with the UAE in May, saying the Gulf nation was aiding the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces with supplies of advanced weaponry in the country's devastating civil war that broke out in April 2023.

The UAE has repeatedly denied such charges.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/sudan-says-uae-bars-sudanese-planes-landing-its-airports-2025-08-06/

News: #Tigrai Independence Party denies joining new alliance unveiled by Lt. Gen. Tsadkan as #Baytona, #Arena, #Simret confirm participation

The Tigrai Independence Party (#TIP) has denied claims that it joined a newly announced political alliance unveiled by Lt. Gen. Tsadkan Gebretensae, which he said aims to bring political change in Tigray. “We will hold a special meeting to decide on the matter. But we are not part of an alliance of that form,” TIP Chairman Dejen Mezgebe told Addis Standard.

While TIP distanced itself from the initiative, Baytona, Arena Tigray, and the newly formed Simret Party - led by PM Abiy Ahmed’s advisor Getachew Reda - confirmed their participation.

The alliance, described by Tsadkan as a response to growing public demand for peace and democratic transition, also includes himself and Brig. Gen. Teklay Ashebir. According to Simret’s Kindeya Gebrehiwet, the alliance is grounded in three goals: avoiding renewed war, implementing the Pretoria Agreement, and preparing for democratic elections.

The announcement of the alliance came as Lt. Gen. Tadesse Worede, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, cautioned Simret against any involvement in armed struggle, urging the party to commit to peaceful political engagement. He also warned against alleged ties to armed groups in Afar, stressing the importance of dialogue and restraint.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51713

Seven #Ethiopian migrants die of hunger, thirst on boat to #Yemen: UN agency

IOM records more than 350 migrant deaths and disappearances along Eastern Route since start of 2025.

Seven Ethiopian migrants died of hunger and thirst after their boat broke down while en route from Somalia to Yemen, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the UN agency said its teams in Yemen have provided “lifesaving assistance to survivors of a harrowing seven-day voyage from Bossaso, Somalia.”

The IOM said a boat carrying 250 Ethiopian migrants, including 82 children, arrived in the Arqah area of southern Yemen on Tuesday.

“Seven of the migrants died of hunger and thirst en route,” it said.

“These people have been through a week of hell on the high seas. They have been exploited, terrified and traumatized,” said Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s chief of mission in Yemen.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/7-ethiopian-migrants-die-of-hunger-thirst-on-boat-to-yemen-un-agency/3652443

News: #Ethiopia’s Central Bank signals crackdown against informal #forex market, warns of #confiscation


The National Bank of Ethiopia (#NBE) has issued a stern warning against the use of the informal foreign exchange market, vowing to crack down on individuals and businesses bypassing the formal banking system. Governor Mamo Mihretu said enforcement measures, including asset confiscation, are underway to curb illegal currency flows and stabilize the country’s financial system.


Actions against foreign-based illegal money transmitters – particularly those operating from the United Arab Emirates – is ongoing and will intensify, Governor Mamo vowed.


The warning follows a 2 August announcement in which the NBE named four U.S.-based money transfer operators, including TAAJ Money Transfer, which has pleaded guilty to violating U.S. banking laws, as entities engaged in laundering funds from the Ethiopian diaspora. The central bank urged Ethiopians abroad to avoid using such services, warning that funds could be confiscated and may not reach intended recipients.


The central bank’s push comes amid growing foreign currency reserves, which the IMF says have tripled to $2.7 billion for the first time in many years. However, persistent distortions - such as high transaction costs and a 15% parallel market premium - continue to undermine stability.


Governor Mamo confirmed that commercial banks will now provide adequate foreign currency to customers, and called on merchants to stop relying on the parallel market.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51716