#Op_ed: Layers of Exclusion: How war intensifies discrimination in #Tigray; women with disabilities hit hardest
Disability inclusion is widely recognized as a global human rights priority that #Ethiopia has supported by ratifying the #UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010.Yet for women and girls in Tigray living with disabilities, these protections remain largely theoretical, writes Batseba Kassahun, the author of this op-ed. She contends that despite additional legal safeguards, such as the Right to Employment of Persons with Disability Proclamation, “translating such commitments into meaningful protections remains elusive, especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.”
The author explains that the war in Tigray has “exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and created new, devastating vulnerabilities,” noting that “systematic destruction of infrastructure, mass displacement, and widespread sexual violence” have disproportionately harmed women with disabilities, cutting them off from healthcare, education, livelihoods, and justice. She further contends that stigma worsens these barriers, as disability is often seen as a “curse,” leading families to “hide girls with disabilities in an effort to shield them from criticism or sexual violence” rather than supporting their education or employment.
The article identifies three particularly vulnerable subgroups: internally displaced people (#IDPs), disabled women in rural areas, and former combatants living with war-related injuries. These groups, the author states, face extraordinary risks, “exposing them to challenges far greater than those faced by other marginalized groups.” Batseba further points to critical gaps in data collection, which “severely impede policy development and accountability.”
Looking ahead, the author emphasizes that meaningful change requires stronger legal enforcement, accessible humanitarian aid, rehabilitation centers, inclusive education, and political participation. These measures, she argues, “must be guaranteed by placing disabled women in leadership roles on reconstruction committees.” Batseba concludes, “Centering disabled women in reconstruction is not optional: it is essential for justice and sustainable peace.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52035
Disability inclusion is widely recognized as a global human rights priority that #Ethiopia has supported by ratifying the #UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010.Yet for women and girls in Tigray living with disabilities, these protections remain largely theoretical, writes Batseba Kassahun, the author of this op-ed. She contends that despite additional legal safeguards, such as the Right to Employment of Persons with Disability Proclamation, “translating such commitments into meaningful protections remains elusive, especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.”
The author explains that the war in Tigray has “exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and created new, devastating vulnerabilities,” noting that “systematic destruction of infrastructure, mass displacement, and widespread sexual violence” have disproportionately harmed women with disabilities, cutting them off from healthcare, education, livelihoods, and justice. She further contends that stigma worsens these barriers, as disability is often seen as a “curse,” leading families to “hide girls with disabilities in an effort to shield them from criticism or sexual violence” rather than supporting their education or employment.
The article identifies three particularly vulnerable subgroups: internally displaced people (#IDPs), disabled women in rural areas, and former combatants living with war-related injuries. These groups, the author states, face extraordinary risks, “exposing them to challenges far greater than those faced by other marginalized groups.” Batseba further points to critical gaps in data collection, which “severely impede policy development and accountability.”
Looking ahead, the author emphasizes that meaningful change requires stronger legal enforcement, accessible humanitarian aid, rehabilitation centers, inclusive education, and political participation. These measures, she argues, “must be guaranteed by placing disabled women in leadership roles on reconstruction committees.” Batseba concludes, “Centering disabled women in reconstruction is not optional: it is essential for justice and sustainable peace.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52035
Addis Standard
Layers of Exclusion: How war intensifies discrimination in Tigray; women with disabilities hit hardest - Addis Standard
Layers of Exclusion: How war intensifies discrimination in Tigray; women with disabilities hit hardest Addis Standard Op/Ed -
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#In_Pictures: Ashenda came to a close on Sunday after three days of festivities that began on Friday, carrying Tigray through a weekend of joy, faith, and cultural pride. In Mekelle, girls and young women brought the celebration to life with vibrant attire, elaborate hairstyles, and unceasing songs, leaving behind enduring images of resilience while hopes for lasting peace remain unsteady.
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13 civilians executed by paramilitary #RSF in #Sudan’s #Darfur: Local doctors
Thirteen Sudanese civilians were executed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur, a local medical group said on Sunday.
The victims included “5 children, 4 women, and 4 elderly individuals,” the Sudan Doctors Network said in a statement on the US social media company X.
It described the attack in the Khazan Qolo area along the El-Fasher-Tawila road as a “horrific massacre” targeting civilians.
The network called the attack “yet another episode in the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide being perpetrated by the RSF against unarmed civilians in Darfur, in blatant violation of all international and humanitarian laws.”
“The systematic targeting of children, women, and the elderly clearly proves that the RSF is pursuing a deliberate policy of forcibly displacing citizens from their land based on ethnic grounds,” it said.
This attack, the network said, “constitutes a full-fledged war crime and a crime against humanity, and contradicts the RSF's own calls for civilians to evacuate El-Fasher.”
While holding the RSF “fully responsible for these ongoing massacres,” it called on the international community and the UN Security Council “to take immediate action to stop the genocide and ethnic cleansing through urgent measures against the RSF leadership, in response to their continued atrocities in Darfur.”
El-Fasher has been under siege since May, with local groups repeatedly accusing the RSF of shelling civilian areas despite international calls to protect humanitarian corridors.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/13-civilians-executed-by-paramilitary-rsf-in-sudan-s-darfur-local-doctors/3667798
Thirteen Sudanese civilians were executed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur, a local medical group said on Sunday.
The victims included “5 children, 4 women, and 4 elderly individuals,” the Sudan Doctors Network said in a statement on the US social media company X.
It described the attack in the Khazan Qolo area along the El-Fasher-Tawila road as a “horrific massacre” targeting civilians.
The network called the attack “yet another episode in the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide being perpetrated by the RSF against unarmed civilians in Darfur, in blatant violation of all international and humanitarian laws.”
“The systematic targeting of children, women, and the elderly clearly proves that the RSF is pursuing a deliberate policy of forcibly displacing citizens from their land based on ethnic grounds,” it said.
This attack, the network said, “constitutes a full-fledged war crime and a crime against humanity, and contradicts the RSF's own calls for civilians to evacuate El-Fasher.”
While holding the RSF “fully responsible for these ongoing massacres,” it called on the international community and the UN Security Council “to take immediate action to stop the genocide and ethnic cleansing through urgent measures against the RSF leadership, in response to their continued atrocities in Darfur.”
El-Fasher has been under siege since May, with local groups repeatedly accusing the RSF of shelling civilian areas despite international calls to protect humanitarian corridors.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/13-civilians-executed-by-paramilitary-rsf-in-sudan-s-darfur-local-doctors/3667798
Anadolu Agency
13 civilians executed by paramilitary RSF in Sudan’s Darfur: Local doctors
Victims include children, women, and elderly, Sudan Doctors Network says
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#Israeli strikes hit #Yemen’s capital in retaliation for earlier #Houthi attacks
Israeli strikes have hit the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in retaliation for Houthi missiles fired towards Israel, with Houthi health officials saying the attack had killed six people.
The strikes on Sunday were the latest in more than a year of direct attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and Houthi militants in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.
The Israeli military said its targets included a military compound housing the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage site.
A Houthi health ministry spokesperson said 86 people were also injured, in a final toll posted on X.
The Israeli military said: “The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/24/israeli-strikes-hit-yemen-capital-in-retaliation-for-earlier-missile-attacks
Israeli strikes have hit the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in retaliation for Houthi missiles fired towards Israel, with Houthi health officials saying the attack had killed six people.
The strikes on Sunday were the latest in more than a year of direct attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and Houthi militants in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.
The Israeli military said its targets included a military compound housing the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage site.
A Houthi health ministry spokesperson said 86 people were also injured, in a final toll posted on X.
The Israeli military said: “The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/24/israeli-strikes-hit-yemen-capital-in-retaliation-for-earlier-missile-attacks
the Guardian
Israeli strikes hit Yemen’s capital in retaliation for earlier Houthi attacks
Health officials report dozens of casualties in Sana’a, including six deaths
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#Ethiopia: Two car #accidents leave 11 dead, 17 injured in #Amhara region
Eleven people lost their lives, and 17 others sustained serious and minor injuries in two car accidents that occurred on Sunday, 24 August, in the Amhara region, the regional police said.
The first accident happened in the Angolela-Tera district of the North Shewa Zone when a public transport vehicle, commonly known as a “High Roof,” carrying 19 passengers from Debre Birhan to Addis Abeba, overturned after a tire burst.
The second accident occurred in the Jiga sub-district of the West Gojjam Zone, at a place known as Leza River, when a trailer truck traveling from Finote Selam to Addis Abeba collided with a three-wheeler bajaj. Nine people were killed in the crash, including seven passengers inside the Bajaj and two pedestrians, according to police.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1959887163731960142
Eleven people lost their lives, and 17 others sustained serious and minor injuries in two car accidents that occurred on Sunday, 24 August, in the Amhara region, the regional police said.
The first accident happened in the Angolela-Tera district of the North Shewa Zone when a public transport vehicle, commonly known as a “High Roof,” carrying 19 passengers from Debre Birhan to Addis Abeba, overturned after a tire burst.
The second accident occurred in the Jiga sub-district of the West Gojjam Zone, at a place known as Leza River, when a trailer truck traveling from Finote Selam to Addis Abeba collided with a three-wheeler bajaj. Nine people were killed in the crash, including seven passengers inside the Bajaj and two pedestrians, according to police.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1959887163731960142
#Ethiopia: As millions remain out of school, #Amhara region plans to register 7.4 million students for new academic year
The Amhara Regional State Education Bureau has launched registration for the 2025/2026 academic year, aiming to enroll 7.4 million students, as millions of children in the region remain out of school due to persistent security challenges.
Mulunesh Dessie (PhD), Coordinator of the Social Sector with the rank of Deputy Chief Administrator and Head of the Amhara Regional State Education Bureau, said the bureau is prepared to register 7,445,545 students.
Mulunesh highlighted a steep decline in student enrollment across the region. “Due to the current instability in the region, 2.5 million students were out of school in the 2023/2024 academic year. In 2024/2025, 4.1 million students who should have been registered were out of school,” she said.
Officials warn that prolonged disruptions could create a generational gap. “Millions of students have been away from school. In the next 14 or 15 years, there may not be enough graduates from universities in this region,” Getachew Getachew Biyazn, head of public relations at the education bureau, said. Mulunesh added that if the trend continues, it will deprive the region of an educated workforce, deepen poverty, and widen the generational gap.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52056
The Amhara Regional State Education Bureau has launched registration for the 2025/2026 academic year, aiming to enroll 7.4 million students, as millions of children in the region remain out of school due to persistent security challenges.
Mulunesh Dessie (PhD), Coordinator of the Social Sector with the rank of Deputy Chief Administrator and Head of the Amhara Regional State Education Bureau, said the bureau is prepared to register 7,445,545 students.
Mulunesh highlighted a steep decline in student enrollment across the region. “Due to the current instability in the region, 2.5 million students were out of school in the 2023/2024 academic year. In 2024/2025, 4.1 million students who should have been registered were out of school,” she said.
Officials warn that prolonged disruptions could create a generational gap. “Millions of students have been away from school. In the next 14 or 15 years, there may not be enough graduates from universities in this region,” Getachew Getachew Biyazn, head of public relations at the education bureau, said. Mulunesh added that if the trend continues, it will deprive the region of an educated workforce, deepen poverty, and widen the generational gap.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52056
Addis Standard
As millions remain out of school, Amhara region plans to register 7.4 million students for new academic year - Addis Standard
As millions remain out of school, Amhara region plans to register 7.4 million students for new academic year Addis Standard News -
#Commentary: From Listening to Answering: Rewiring humanitarian accountability, shifting power from donors to aid recipients
For more than a decade, humanitarian organizations have promoted the principle of Accountability to Affected People (#AAP), defined as “an active commitment by humanitarian actors to use power responsibly by involving and answering to communities they serve.” However, Nigussie Tefera, the author of this commentary, argues that in practice AAP relies heavily on “weak feedback systems” and “donor-driven compliance,” rarely enabling communities to hold agencies accountable. Instead of strengthening community agency, he contends, AAP has evolved into a tool for “upward accountability”—prioritizing donor reporting requirements over genuine engagement with affected populations.
While frameworks such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (#CHS) provide guidance, the author notes they often stop at "listening to" communities without granting them the "power to hold agencies to account." As a result, aid recipients are left with limited means to demand change or obtain meaningful remedies for grievances. By contrast, Nigussie contends that “strong social accountability”—developed in governance and public service contexts—offers more robust and enforceable mechanisms.
The article underscores that unlike the weak form of accountability, which merely collects feedback, social accountability connects citizen-led oversight with collective action and enforceable sanctions. To support this claim, the author cites several real-world examples, including community-led initiatives in #Ethiopia, #Somalia, and #Sudan, instances that demonstrate that even in crisis situations, communities can effectively influence service delivery when accountability systems are "inclusive, enforceable, and locally embedded."
Nigussie argues that the prevailing system leaves communities “'heard’ but not empowered,” and calls for humanitarian AAP to be re-envisioned through a “lens of social accountability.” This entails linking feedback to public decision-making, fostering collective voice, ensuring independent verification, and establishing credible remedies. He concludes by stating that “localization is not only about transferring resources—it is about shifting power.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52045
For more than a decade, humanitarian organizations have promoted the principle of Accountability to Affected People (#AAP), defined as “an active commitment by humanitarian actors to use power responsibly by involving and answering to communities they serve.” However, Nigussie Tefera, the author of this commentary, argues that in practice AAP relies heavily on “weak feedback systems” and “donor-driven compliance,” rarely enabling communities to hold agencies accountable. Instead of strengthening community agency, he contends, AAP has evolved into a tool for “upward accountability”—prioritizing donor reporting requirements over genuine engagement with affected populations.
While frameworks such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (#CHS) provide guidance, the author notes they often stop at "listening to" communities without granting them the "power to hold agencies to account." As a result, aid recipients are left with limited means to demand change or obtain meaningful remedies for grievances. By contrast, Nigussie contends that “strong social accountability”—developed in governance and public service contexts—offers more robust and enforceable mechanisms.
The article underscores that unlike the weak form of accountability, which merely collects feedback, social accountability connects citizen-led oversight with collective action and enforceable sanctions. To support this claim, the author cites several real-world examples, including community-led initiatives in #Ethiopia, #Somalia, and #Sudan, instances that demonstrate that even in crisis situations, communities can effectively influence service delivery when accountability systems are "inclusive, enforceable, and locally embedded."
Nigussie argues that the prevailing system leaves communities “'heard’ but not empowered,” and calls for humanitarian AAP to be re-envisioned through a “lens of social accountability.” This entails linking feedback to public decision-making, fostering collective voice, ensuring independent verification, and establishing credible remedies. He concludes by stating that “localization is not only about transferring resources—it is about shifting power.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52045
Addis Standard
From Listening to Answering: Rewiring humanitarian accountability, shifting power from donors to aid recipients - Addis Standard
From Listening to Answering: Rewiring humanitarian accountability, shifting power from donors to aid recipients Addis Standard Commentary -
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#Ethiopia:13 dead after bus plunges into gorge in #Tigray’s Ahferom district
Thirteen people died Monday in a bus accident in the Ahferom district, Central Zone of the Tigray region, the district’s Peace and Security Office said.
According to the office, the accident occurred around 5 a.m. in Sero kebele, at a location locally known as Mekelih.
Shambel Gebretensahe Gebregiorgis, head of the district’s Peace and Security Office, told state-affiliated media that the bus, carrying passengers from Egela district to Enticho town, veered off the main road and plunged 80 meters into a gorge, killing 13 people.
He added that several other passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious and are receiving medical treatment. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Thirteen people died Monday in a bus accident in the Ahferom district, Central Zone of the Tigray region, the district’s Peace and Security Office said.
According to the office, the accident occurred around 5 a.m. in Sero kebele, at a location locally known as Mekelih.
Shambel Gebretensahe Gebregiorgis, head of the district’s Peace and Security Office, told state-affiliated media that the bus, carrying passengers from Egela district to Enticho town, veered off the main road and plunged 80 meters into a gorge, killing 13 people.
He added that several other passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious and are receiving medical treatment. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
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20 #Palestinians, including 4 journalists, killed in #IDF strike on #Gaza #hospital
At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Monday in an IDF strike on the Nasser Hospital compound in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the hospital director Atef al-Hout.
The Nasser hospital is the only hospital currently operating in the southern Gaza Strip.
The strike comes amid Israeli preparations for a new offensive to occupy Gaza City, which is expected to lead to mass displacement and increase the death toll in the enclave.
Approximately 63,000 Palestinians - most of them women and children - have died since Israel launched an offensive against Hamas following the Oct 7th attacks.
According to al-Hout, the first strike targeted the fourth floor of a building inside the hospital compound.
Several minutes later, a second strike took place that targeted reporters and a rescue team who tried to reach the casualties of the first strike.
Four journalists and one aid worker were among those killed in the second strike. The journalists have been identified as Hussam al-Masri, a contractor cameraman for Reuters, Mariam Dagga, a freelance reporter for the Associated Press, al-Jazeera's Mohammed Salama, NBC's Moaz Abu Taha.
https://www.axios.com/2025/08/25/gaza-israel-hospital-strike-journalists-killed
At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Monday in an IDF strike on the Nasser Hospital compound in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the hospital director Atef al-Hout.
The Nasser hospital is the only hospital currently operating in the southern Gaza Strip.
The strike comes amid Israeli preparations for a new offensive to occupy Gaza City, which is expected to lead to mass displacement and increase the death toll in the enclave.
Approximately 63,000 Palestinians - most of them women and children - have died since Israel launched an offensive against Hamas following the Oct 7th attacks.
According to al-Hout, the first strike targeted the fourth floor of a building inside the hospital compound.
Several minutes later, a second strike took place that targeted reporters and a rescue team who tried to reach the casualties of the first strike.
Four journalists and one aid worker were among those killed in the second strike. The journalists have been identified as Hussam al-Masri, a contractor cameraman for Reuters, Mariam Dagga, a freelance reporter for the Associated Press, al-Jazeera's Mohammed Salama, NBC's Moaz Abu Taha.
https://www.axios.com/2025/08/25/gaza-israel-hospital-strike-journalists-killed
Axios
20 Palestinians, including 4 journalists, killed in IDF strike on Gaza hospital
Several of the victims are members of the hospital's medical team, hospital director Atef al-Hout said.
#Ethiopian Media Professionals Association demands #accountability for #journalists’ abduction
The Ethiopian Media Professionals Association (EMPA) has called for those responsible for the recent abduction of two journalists to be identified and brought to justice.
EMPA welcomed the release of the journalists abducted earlier this month: Abdulsemed Mohammed, host of the Saturday Market program on Ahadu FM 94.3, who was held for 12 days, and Yonas Amare, senior editor for Reporter newspaper, who was detained for 10 days.
The association described their prolonged disappearance as “an illegal act” and urged authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable. EMPA said abducting and harassing journalists, instead of following legal procedures, is unacceptable and undermines media freedom and the public’s right to information.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52062
The Ethiopian Media Professionals Association (EMPA) has called for those responsible for the recent abduction of two journalists to be identified and brought to justice.
EMPA welcomed the release of the journalists abducted earlier this month: Abdulsemed Mohammed, host of the Saturday Market program on Ahadu FM 94.3, who was held for 12 days, and Yonas Amare, senior editor for Reporter newspaper, who was detained for 10 days.
The association described their prolonged disappearance as “an illegal act” and urged authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable. EMPA said abducting and harassing journalists, instead of following legal procedures, is unacceptable and undermines media freedom and the public’s right to information.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52062
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Why #Ethiopia’s #Tigray could be on the brink of another conflict
An eerily familiar set of headlines is making the rounds in Ethiopia, troubling many in the fragile, northern Tigray region.
Successive delegations of civil society and religious leaders have, in recent weeks, travelled to the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, for “dialogue”. For some, it is a reminder of the events that played out in the final weeks before Tigray descended into war in November 2020.
That war left 600,000 people dead and some five million displaced. It brought global attention to Ethiopia’s fractured politics and tarnished the reputation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who had won a Nobel Peace Prize for mending long-severed ties with neighbouring Eritrea.
A ceasefire two years later was supposed to end the war; instead, analysts say, another conflict might be looming. This time, it could involve not just the Tigrayan regional authorities, but also Eritrea, and potentially, that country’s own allies. It is not a conflict that the region can withstand, experts fear.
“We are now at a point where we are all frightened at another conflict in Tigray, and with Eritrea,” analyst Abel Abate Demissie of the Chatham House think tank in the United Kingdom told Al Jazeera. “It would be extremely devastating.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/25/why-ethiopias-tigray-could-be-on-the-brink-of-another-conflict
An eerily familiar set of headlines is making the rounds in Ethiopia, troubling many in the fragile, northern Tigray region.
Successive delegations of civil society and religious leaders have, in recent weeks, travelled to the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, for “dialogue”. For some, it is a reminder of the events that played out in the final weeks before Tigray descended into war in November 2020.
That war left 600,000 people dead and some five million displaced. It brought global attention to Ethiopia’s fractured politics and tarnished the reputation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who had won a Nobel Peace Prize for mending long-severed ties with neighbouring Eritrea.
A ceasefire two years later was supposed to end the war; instead, analysts say, another conflict might be looming. This time, it could involve not just the Tigrayan regional authorities, but also Eritrea, and potentially, that country’s own allies. It is not a conflict that the region can withstand, experts fear.
“We are now at a point where we are all frightened at another conflict in Tigray, and with Eritrea,” analyst Abel Abate Demissie of the Chatham House think tank in the United Kingdom told Al Jazeera. “It would be extremely devastating.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/25/why-ethiopias-tigray-could-be-on-the-brink-of-another-conflict
Al Jazeera
Why Ethiopia’s Tigray could be on the brink of another conflict
Fears of instability rise again as the TPLF and the federal government appear to be gearing up for a showdown.
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#Somalia government, opposition seal #election deal after months of talks
Somalia’s federal government and the Somali Salvation Forum announced Monday they had reached a landmark agreement on how to conduct the country’s next elections, a step both sides say is meant to strengthen national unity and accelerate the state-building process.
The accord was concluded after two months of negotiations.
Under the deal, the Federal Parliament will elect the president, while leaders of federal member states will directly choose members of parliament. The president will have the authority to appoint a prime minister, subject to approval or dismissal by the House of the People.
The framework also sets a political threshold, granting national party status to any organization that secures at least 10 percent of seats in parliament.
Officials said the next elections will be based on the 2024 electoral law, with preparations for local, state, and federal polls beginning immediately. Both sides pledged to finalize Somalia’s provisional constitution to provide legal clarity and stronger institutional foundations.
The roadmap calls for a gradual transition toward direct voting in which citizens will cast ballots themselves, with both government and opposition parties participating in the process.
https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Aug/202668/somalia_government_opposition_seal_election_deal_after_two_months_of_talks.aspx
Somalia’s federal government and the Somali Salvation Forum announced Monday they had reached a landmark agreement on how to conduct the country’s next elections, a step both sides say is meant to strengthen national unity and accelerate the state-building process.
The accord was concluded after two months of negotiations.
Under the deal, the Federal Parliament will elect the president, while leaders of federal member states will directly choose members of parliament. The president will have the authority to appoint a prime minister, subject to approval or dismissal by the House of the People.
The framework also sets a political threshold, granting national party status to any organization that secures at least 10 percent of seats in parliament.
Officials said the next elections will be based on the 2024 electoral law, with preparations for local, state, and federal polls beginning immediately. Both sides pledged to finalize Somalia’s provisional constitution to provide legal clarity and stronger institutional foundations.
The roadmap calls for a gradual transition toward direct voting in which citizens will cast ballots themselves, with both government and opposition parties participating in the process.
https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Aug/202668/somalia_government_opposition_seal_election_deal_after_two_months_of_talks.aspx
Hiiraan
Somalia government, opposition seal election deal after months of talks
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s federal government and the Somali Salvation Forum announced Monday they had reached a landmark agreement on how to conduct the country’s next elections, a step both sides say is meant to strengthen national unity and accelerate…
#Ethiopia: #Oromo community in #Norway in shock after brutal killing of 34-year-old woman by suspected right-wing extremist
The Oromo community in Norway is in shock after the brutal killing of 34-year-old Tamima Nebras Juhar, an Ethiopian-born Norwegian citizen, on Saturday, 24 August, in #Oslo’s Kampen district. Police said the 18-year-old suspect, who has been arrested, acted out of “political hatred” and faces terrorism charges, including murder. Amnesty International condemned the attack as a “horrifying act” and urged solidarity with Tamima’s grieving family, while residents of Kampen held a candlelight vigil to honor her life.
Tamima, remembered as “a caring and unifying person,” dedicated her career to child and youth support programs and advocacy for justice and gender equality.
Her family said her absence leaves “a deep wound” and demanded accountability from Norwegian authorities to prevent similar attacks.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52068
The Oromo community in Norway is in shock after the brutal killing of 34-year-old Tamima Nebras Juhar, an Ethiopian-born Norwegian citizen, on Saturday, 24 August, in #Oslo’s Kampen district. Police said the 18-year-old suspect, who has been arrested, acted out of “political hatred” and faces terrorism charges, including murder. Amnesty International condemned the attack as a “horrifying act” and urged solidarity with Tamima’s grieving family, while residents of Kampen held a candlelight vigil to honor her life.
Tamima, remembered as “a caring and unifying person,” dedicated her career to child and youth support programs and advocacy for justice and gender equality.
Her family said her absence leaves “a deep wound” and demanded accountability from Norwegian authorities to prevent similar attacks.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52068
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#Leaders, #journalist groups react to #Israeli #Gaza strike that killed five journalists
World leaders and journalist groups reacted to an Israeli strike on Monday at Gaza Strip's Nasser hospital that killed at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others.
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS:
"The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Israeli strikes that killed five journalists in Nasser hospital in southern Gaza and calls for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its continued unlawful attacks on the press."
U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP:
“When did this happen?”
“I didn't know that. Well, I’m not happy about it. I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON:
"This is intolerable: civilians and journalists must be protected in all circumstances. The media must be able to carry out their mission freely and independently to cover the reality of the conflict."
UNITED NATIONS SPOKESPERSON STEPHANE DUJARRIC:
"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killing of Palestinians today in Israeli strikes that hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Those killed in addition to civilians included medical personnel and journalists.
"These latest horrific killings highlight the extreme risks that medical personnel and journalists face as they carry out their vital work amid this brutal conflict.
They "must be respected and protected at all times. He calls for a prompt, and impartial investigation into these killings."
WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS:
"While people in #Gaza are being starved, their already limited access to health care is being further crippled by repeated attacks."
"We cannot say it loudly enough: STOP attacks on health care. Ceasefire now!
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/leaders-journalist-groups-react-israeli-gaza-strike-that-killed-five-journalists-2025-08-25/
World leaders and journalist groups reacted to an Israeli strike on Monday at Gaza Strip's Nasser hospital that killed at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others.
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS:
"The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Israeli strikes that killed five journalists in Nasser hospital in southern Gaza and calls for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its continued unlawful attacks on the press."
U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP:
“When did this happen?”
“I didn't know that. Well, I’m not happy about it. I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON:
"This is intolerable: civilians and journalists must be protected in all circumstances. The media must be able to carry out their mission freely and independently to cover the reality of the conflict."
UNITED NATIONS SPOKESPERSON STEPHANE DUJARRIC:
"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killing of Palestinians today in Israeli strikes that hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Those killed in addition to civilians included medical personnel and journalists.
"These latest horrific killings highlight the extreme risks that medical personnel and journalists face as they carry out their vital work amid this brutal conflict.
They "must be respected and protected at all times. He calls for a prompt, and impartial investigation into these killings."
WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS:
"While people in #Gaza are being starved, their already limited access to health care is being further crippled by repeated attacks."
"We cannot say it loudly enough: STOP attacks on health care. Ceasefire now!
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/leaders-journalist-groups-react-israeli-gaza-strike-that-killed-five-journalists-2025-08-25/
Reuters
Leaders, journalist groups react to Israeli Gaza strike that killed five journalists
World leaders and journalist groups reacted to an Israeli strike on Monday at Gaza Strip's Nasser hospital that killed at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others.
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News: First #Egyptian troops to #AU support mission in #Somalia complete training
Somalia’s Ministry of Defense has welcomed the upcoming deployment of Egyptian troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), following the completion of the first training program for Egyptian Armed Forces units.
The Ministry hailed the completion and said it “underscores Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s security and strengthening the capacity of the Somali National Army.”
Egypt’s involvement as a troop-contributing country comes in the backdrop of diplomatic tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, triggered by Ethiopia’s January 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland. Although Mogadishu initially opposed Ethiopia’s participation in the new AU mission, both sides later reached an agreement on Ethiopian National Defense Force deployments under AUSSOM.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52085
Somalia’s Ministry of Defense has welcomed the upcoming deployment of Egyptian troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), following the completion of the first training program for Egyptian Armed Forces units.
The Ministry hailed the completion and said it “underscores Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s security and strengthening the capacity of the Somali National Army.”
Egypt’s involvement as a troop-contributing country comes in the backdrop of diplomatic tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, triggered by Ethiopia’s January 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland. Although Mogadishu initially opposed Ethiopia’s participation in the new AU mission, both sides later reached an agreement on Ethiopian National Defense Force deployments under AUSSOM.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52085
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