Nothing is off the table as #Trump and #Putin set to meet

As Russian President Vladimir Putin holds face-to-face talks with White House leader Donald Trump on Friday, Ukraine - and the world - will be watching with bated breath.

The state leaders are set to begin their summit at 11:30 a.m. local time (3.30 p.m. ET) at the Elmendorf Richardson military base in Anchorage, Alaska.
There will then be a working lunch for both delegations, before the presidents hold a joint press conference to summarize their talks.

The presser will undoubtedly be one of the most closely watched events of this year, revealing just how near - or far - is the end of the war in Ukraine that has spanned more than three and a half years.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/15/nothing-is-off-the-table-as-trump-and-putin-set-to-meet.html

#Ethiopian Electric Utility says over 25,000 power outage issues identified in #Addis_Abeba

The Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) has announced that more than 25,000 problems related to power outages have been identified in the capital, of which 54% have been resolved.

Addressing concerns about persistent power outages, Engineer Getu Geremew, EEU CEO, acknowledged that the problem remains significant. Responding to a media question on the recent electricity tariff adjustment and criticism that it does not adequately consider low-income households, he said, “Ethiopia has the lowest tariff in the world; the increase made is also moderate.” He noted that the adjustment was implemented once but spread over four years, with consideration given to low-income communities.

The CEO also pointed to security challenges in northern and western Ethiopia in recent years, which, he said, had hindered the utility’s operations and required billions of birr in replacement works.

He added that 155 rural kebeles and villages were provided with electricity and that 501,588 new customers were connected. The EEU also replaced 53,714 old energy meters with modern smart meters. The total number of customers now stands at over 5.2 million.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51905

#Ethiopia #gold & copper project moves ahead for #Askari Metals

Askari Metals Ltd earlier this week confirmed that it has secured validation of all three exploration licenses for the Nejo Gold and Copper Project in Ethiopia. Askari Metals CEO Gino D’Anna talked with Proactive about the company securing all official licenses.

The company said the validation followed legal due diligence and meetings with the regional government and the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines. It said this milestone gives it confidence to proceed with the acquisition process.

D'Anna highlighted that the final step in the acquisition is shareholder approval. Once granted, it plans to mobilise its team to begin exploration work.

Askari is considering a strategic collaboration with Shining Star International. D'Anna said the potential partner has both the technical expertise and financial capacity to invest in large-scale mining projects, citing its current work on a copper mine in Angola.
The company outlined plans for an immediate work program involving sampling, trenching, and drilling. It will first target the Cattle prospect in the north, where previous limited drilling intersected high-grade copper. Work will include locating historical drill holes, taking samples, mapping, and designing a drill program.

The southern license area will also be explored, with a focus on validating historical drilling results from as recently as 2013. Askari said these early-stage campaigns will support the design of its maiden drill program, which is expected to commence in October.

https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/1076733/ethiopia-gold-copper-project-moves-ahead-for-askari-metals-1076733.html

'No deal until there's a deal': #Trump- #Putin talks yield no breakthrough on #Ukraine

A highly anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, although both leaders described the talks as productive before heading home.

During a brief appearance before the media following Friday's nearly three-hour meeting in Alaska, the two leaders said they had made progress on unspecified issues. But they offered no details and took no questions, with the normally loquacious Trump ignoring shouted questions from reporters.

"We've made some headway," Trump said, standing in front of a backdrop that read, "Pursuing Peace."

"There's no deal until there's a deal," he added.

The talks did not initially appear to have produced meaningful steps toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, the deadliest conflict in Europe in 80 years, a goal Trump had set ahead of the summit.

But simply sitting down face-to-face with the U.S. president represented a victory for Putin, who had been ostracized by Western leaders since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-putin-summit-ends-with-no-ceasefire-ukraine-war-2025-08-16/

#Op_ed: From Mines to Vaults: #Tigray gold enriches national coffers; little return for local people

Last fiscal year, #Ethiopia’s export revenues reached $8.3 billion, significantly exceeding the targeted $5.1 billion and marking a substantial increase from the previous year’s $3.8 billion. Gold emerged as the leading export, generating $3.5 billion by shipping 37 tons. Tigray played a pivotal role in this surge, with reports revealing that the region deposited 18.9 tons of gold to the National Bank of Ethiopia (#NBE), which represents 51% of the total volume of gold Ethiopia exported last year.

In this op-ed, Abrar Fitwi argues that despite being “the driving force behind the country’s earnings,” the region has seen little benefit from this contribution. He notes that, based on the average international market price, Tigray’s gold supply to the central bank is valued at approximately $1.8 billion, an amount he describes as vital to the national economy. However, the author states that "The revenue flows directly to the federal treasury via the NBE," asking, “What tangible benefit—what road, what school, what hospital—has been built in Tigray from this gold?” and answering, “None.”

He highlights that this reality is especially stark in places like #Kola_Tembien, where a recent drought has caused deaths and starvation, while “relief efforts are hindered by depleted budgets.” Against this backdrop, the author asks a question: "… why is there no structured system in place to guarantee that a predictable share of the proceeds is reinvested in the very region from which it [the gold] is extracted?"

Abrar contends that “treating Tigray as merely a site of extraction rather than a partner in national recovery seems economically imprudent,” adding that “revenue-sharing is not an act of charity; it is a matter of basic fairness.” He urges the federal government to “establish a fiscal partnership that not only stabilizes the national economy but also funds Tigray's recovery.”

https://addisstandard.com/from-mines-to-vaults-tigray-gold-enriches-national-coffers-little-return-for-local-people

#East_Africa flagged as hotspot for procurement fraud in AfDB-funded projects

East Africa is the epicentre of procurement fraud and other sanctionable practices in African Development Bank (AfDB) funded projects, according to a recent report.

The revelations by the lender’s office of integrity and anti-corruption (PIAC) show that a total of 59 complaints were filed in 2024.

The complaints related to sanctionable practices such as fraud, corruption, collusion and coercion.

Notably, East Africa accounted for 33 per cent of all allegations, or just about 19 cases, the highest among all regions, followed by West Africa at 29 per cent.

Other regions, North, Central and Southern Africa, contributed less than half of West Africa’s figures.

https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/business/196745/east-africa-flagged-as-hotspot-for-procurement-fraud-in-afdb-funded-projects

News: #Ethiopia’s tax-to-GDP ratio falls sharply, new study warns

Ethiopia’s tax-to-GDP ratio has fallen sharply, reaching 7.5% in 2022/23- one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. By comparison, Uganda collected 13.1%, Kenya 15.2%, and Rwanda 15.7%. “No other country in the world has experienced such a large relative decline in its tax-to-GDP ratio over this period,” researchers from the TaxDevprogram and the Ministry of Finance’s Tax Policy Directorate warned.

“Ethiopia collects substantially less revenue than its peers in direct taxes, VAT and excise duties. This represents a major challenge for fiscal sustainability,” said the TaxDev research team.

The decline is stark when viewed over time. Ethiopia’s tax-to-GDP ratio peaked at 12.4 percent in 2014/15but has since fallen by 4.9 percentage points. “No other country in the world has experienced such a large relative decline in its tax-to-GDP ratio over this period,” the researchers stressed.

The government has recently been implementing a series of tax reforms including updates to minimum exemptions for personal income tax, aimed at improving “equity and efficiency while minimizing revenue losses.”

Despite these efforts, experts caution that weak compliance and structural challenges continue to undermine revenues. “Declining revenues increase dependence on borrowing and aid, and reduce the government’s ability to fund critical sectors such as health, education and infrastructure,” the TaxDev team cuationed.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=51910

#Ethiopia: Journalist Yonas Amare missing after being ‘abducted by masked individuals’

Journalist Yonas Amare of The Reporter newspaper has not been seen or heard from since Wednesday night, 14 August after he was reportedly taken by “unidentified, masked individuals” near his residence at the Koye Feche condominium in Sheger City.

The newspaper said that Yonas, who was on duty before his disappearance, has not reported to work for the last four days. Multiple attempts to reach him by phone or through his family have so far been unsuccessful.

Security guards at the condominium “confirmed to acquaintances” that Yonas was taken on the night of 14 August, but could not provide further details on the identity of the individuals or his whereabouts, The Reporter said today.

As of now, “there has been no official information regarding who abducted Yonas or where he is being held.”

#Sudan army torturing people to death, says rights group

A prominent Sudanese human rights group has accused the country's army and security forces of torturing people to death and operating "execution chambers".

The Emergency Lawyers group said it had documented hundreds of arrests in the capital Khartoum. It said that in the "worst cases", some captives had later been found dead with evidence of torture.

The Sudanese army recaptured the city from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in March, against which it is fighting a bitter civil war that has killed tens of thousands in two years.

The army did not respond to the BBC's request for comment on Sunday.

Throughout the war, the Emergency Lawyers group has documented atrocities by both the army and the RSF.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4dqp8eeedo

#Ethiopian migrants face kidnappings and death, leaving behind heartbroken families

When 19-year-old Nigus Yosef told his parents he was going to leave home in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and try to get to Saudi Arabia, they begged him not to go.

Two of their children had already made the crossing, via the Gulf of Aden and then war-torn Yemen. Yosef’s brother is now in jail in Yemen for entering that country illegally. His sister made it to Saudi Arabia, also illegally, which means it will be difficult for her to leave.

On August 3, 2025, Yosef and five friends from his town of Adi Qeyih boarded a boat bound for Yemen. That night, it capsized. Only 56 people of the nearly 200 people on board survived. Yosef was not one of them.

“His parents are in deep shock and grief,” his uncle, Redae Barhe, said in a telephone interview. “They can’t even voice their sorrow.”


https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ethiopian-migrants-face-kidnappings-death-leaving-heartbroken-families-124734471

#Somali forces kill senior Al-Shabaab commander Magaalabeen in Bakool region

Somali National Armed Forces have killed senior Al-Shabaab commander Hussein Moallim Hassan, known as Magaalabeen, during a military operation in Southwest state on Sunday.

The operation took place near Buurdhuuxunle, about 17 km north of Waajid in Bakool region, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

Magaalabeen, one of Al-Shabaab’s most wanted leaders, had been with the group for more than 15 years and was a central figure in planning and executing attacks across multiple regions, including Hiiraan, Middle and Lower Shabelle, Mudug, Galgaduud, Bay, Bakool, and Gedo.

During his time in the group, he held several senior positions, including operational commander in Bay, Bakool, and Gedo regions, head of taxation in Bakool, chief of intelligence in the Shabelle regions and Hiiraan, and deputy to Fu’ad Mohamed Shangole, Al-Shabaab’s propaganda and indoctrination chief.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Aug/202592/somali_forces_kill_senior_al_shabaab_commander_magaalabeen_in_bakool_region.aspx?utm_source=hiiraan&utm_medium=SomaliNewsUpdateFront

Commercial Bank of #Ethiopia disburses over $1 billion in #foreign exchange since July

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) announced that it has disbursed more than $1 billion in foreign exchange since the beginning of the current fiscal year on 1 July 2025, amid mounting government pressure to curb the use of informal currency markets.

According to the bank, on 16 August alone it approved all foreign currency requests submitted by its customers, disbursing $420.4 million for various purposes. Combined with approvals made over the past two weeks, beginning 29 July, the total reached $541.4 million to 1,140 customers.


Earlier this month, the central bank issued a warning to businesses and members of the diaspora to refrain from engaging in parallel market transactions, threatening asset confiscation and coordinated international action against foreign-based money transmitters.

https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1957380555097403438

#Commentary: Rising Taxes, Shrinking Wallets: How #Ethiopia’s fiscal reforms strain low-income households amid high inflation, stagnant wages

Since 2023, the Ethiopian government has introduced sweeping tax reforms and increased public service fees to finance its growing budget and secure loans from international lenders such as the #IMF and #World_Bank. These measures include new taxes on utilities, digital services, property, and consumer goods. While they have boosted state revenue, Samson Hailu, the author of this commentary, argues that these measures are disproportionately affecting low-income households, who are already grappling with high inflation and stagnant wages. He emphasizes that "for many, this has led to difficult choices, with families skipping meals, moving to smaller or more remote dwellings, and abandoning essential transportation in order to survive."

While officials often cite Ethiopia’s low tax-to-GDP ratio of 6.8%—significantly below the IMF’s 15% benchmark—as justification for the reforms, the author notes that the country’s high inflation has “distorted” economic figures, “pushing taxpayers into higher brackets without real income gains” and creating a “misleading impression of increased tax potential when, in reality, the change is merely a byproduct of inflation.” Citing a newly released study, he further contends that "inflated GDP estimates may exaggerate Ethiopia’s revenue shortfall," adding that “tax revenues may not be underperforming as sharply as headline numbers suggest.”

The article also cautions against using #Kenya’s tax-to-GDP ratio of 14% as a benchmark, highlighting "this comparison ignores Ethiopia's harsh reality," where inflation has eroded purchasing power by more than 200% in five years, while the average annual income remains just $622. By contrast, Kenya has kept inflation below 8% over the same period, with average incomes at roughly $4,000, which is six times higher than Ethiopia’s. Under these conditions, the author states that "raising taxes to Kenyan levels would impose an unsustainable burden on households already struggling to meet basic needs."

While the government’s revenue drive may be fiscally necessary, Samson emphasizes that “Without measures to protect the vulnerable and raise real incomes, fiscal reform risks deepening hardship rather than fostering stability.” He warns that "a strategy that only focuses on meeting budget targets or satisfying external lenders will not succeed if it ignores the lived realities of citizens."

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51914

#Somaliland President Visits #Berbera, Highlights Electricity Reforms Ahead of U.S. Talks

Somaliland President Dr Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro on Sunday led a senior government delegation to Berbera, using his first official working visit to the port city since taking office to spotlight economic reforms, security priorities and regional development.

Irro, who was elected in November 2024, was greeted by citizens along the Hargeisa–Berbera route, where crowds turned out to welcome his convoy.

During the trip, Irro toured the international port of Berbera, a strategic hub on the Gulf of Aden, and reviewed ongoing modernization efforts seen as vital to the country’s economic future. The visit came just days after Berbera drew renewed international attention over its potential role as a future U.S. naval base, following Somaliland’s recent offer to Washington as part of its decades-long push for international recognition.

Diplomatic sources say negotiations between Hargeisa and Washington are edging closer to a recognition deal, with President Irro expected to visit the United States in the coming weeks to advance discussions.
https://www.horndiplomat.com/2025/08/somaliland-president-visits-berbera-highlights-electricity-reforms-ahead-of-u-s-talks/

#Ethiopia raises #civil servants’ salaries; degree-holder entry pay set at 11,500 birr from September

The Federal Civil Service Commission has announced a major salary adjustment for civil servants, effective September 2025. Under the revised pay scale, the entry-level salary for bachelor’s degree holders will increase from 6,940 (≈ US$ 49. 34) birr to 11,500 birr (≈ US$ 82) per month.

In a statement released today, the commission said the adjustment is part of the government’s ongoing effort to ease the burden of rising living costs “within the country’s financial capacity.” It noted that civil servants have continued to deliver essential services despite economic pressures, a factor that prompted the latest revision.

The new scheme also raises the minimum salary for government employees from 4,760(≈$35) birr to 6,000(≈$44) birr, while the maximum salary will nearly double, rising from 21,492(≈$158) birr to 39,000(≈$286) birr. Salaries in sectors outside the civil service will also be revised, the commission added.

According to official figures, the adjustment will require an additional 160 billion birr, raising the government’s total annual salary expenditure to 560 billion birr.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51918

#EZEMA, media association demand disclosure of whereabouts of two disappeared journalists amid #Ethiopia’s shrinking press freedom

EZEMA and the Ethiopian Media Professionals Association (#EMPA) have demanded the government disclose the whereabouts of journalists Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, who they say were taken in an “extra-legal manner.” Abdulsemed, host of Kidame Gebeya on Ahadu Radio, went missing on 12 August, while Yonas, a reporter for Reporter newspaper, was taken from his home two days later. Their families say police have denied holding them.

“Even if the journalists were suspected of a crime, they should have been taken into custody legally and brought before a court within 48 hours. The fact that their whereabouts are unknown is of great concern to us,” EMPA said.

Describing the disappearances as a “dangerous practice that is unacceptable in any way,” the Association warned that such actions “seriously erode the freedom of the media landscape, and the relevant bodies must collectively prevent it.”

The case comes amid growing concern over Ethiopia’s shrinking press freedom space. The 2025 World Press Freedom Index ranked Ethiopia 145th globally, placing it for the first time in the “very serious” category.

EMPA warned: “The disappearance of journalists and not bringing them to court in an extra-legal manner is a dangerous practice that is unacceptable in any way.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51921

#Ethiopia: Armed attack by ‘unidentified’ assailants near Addis Abeba leaves three bank employees, 11 security forces dead

An attack by yet “unidentified” armed individuals in Sululta woreda, North Shewa zone of Oromia region, some 31 kms north of the capital Addis Abeba, on Friday, 16 August, left three employees of the Cooperative Bank of Oromia and 11 security forces dead, according to Tolera Shula, head of the bank’s marketing and public relations department.

Tolera told Addis Standard that the incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. near the town of Chancho, as bank employees were transporting cash by car from the Mulo branch to Addis Abeba. “Four people survived the attack and are currently receiving medical assistance,” he said.

The victims included two drivers and a courier assigned to transport the money.

In a statement of condolence issued on Saturday, the bank’s Board of Directors and management expressed “profound sadness” over the deaths of Kasahun Hinkosa, Gemechu Tilahun, and Mesay Abera, extending their “deepest condolences” to families, friends, and colleagues.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=51926

#Ethiopia moves to tax #digital businesses, #online content creators

The Ministry of Revenues has announced plans to bring digital businesses and online content creators into the tax framework under a new proclamation.

Birhanu Sisay, Director of Tax Affairs Education at the Ministry, said the law applies to resident entities in Ethiopia engaged in digital commerce, including those who develop, use, sell, or exchange software for profit.

He explained that the scope also covers businesses using applications that provide accounting services for multiple clients, as well as individuals earning income through advertisements on platforms such as #YouTube and #TikTok.

“Content creators producing and distributing educational videos with large audiences are similarly required to comply,” Birhanu added.

According to him, the measure aims to ensure that digital enterprises are integrated into the commercial system and contribute to national revenue.

#Sudan PM urges UN to act now on ‘moral test’ of El Fasher siege

Sudan’s prime minister on Monday urged the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to lift the months-long siege on the city of El Fasher in Darfur, calling the escalating humanitarian crisis a “moral test” for the international community.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, Prime Minister Kamil Idris said hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians can no longer wait for “procedural discussions or delayed resolutions.”

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have besieged El Fasher, the last army stronghold in the Darfur region, since April 2024, blocking the entry of aid, food, and medicine.

“This is not just a humanitarian crisis; it is a moral test for the United Nations,” Idris wrote. “International law prohibits the use of starvation as a weapon of war.”

https://sudantribune.com/article304082/