News: #Tigray Interim Administration says over 20 billion birr needed for unpaid salaries

#Mekelle - The Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) announced at a conference with education sector on Thursday that it requires more than 20 billion birr to clear the backlog of unpaid salaries owed to its employees, local media reports.

Deputy President Amanuel Assefa acknowledged the administration’s inability to meet that demand immediately, stating that while the question is justified, “It would be extremely difficult to allocate 20 billion birr to unpaid salaries.” Nonetheless, he added, “the administration plans to dedicate five percent of its upcoming budget to addressing the issue.”

Lieutenant General Tadesse, President of the TIA, who also attended the conference, emphasized that the administration had not dismissed teachers’ grievances. He said that the federal government’s stance is that “we will not pay when there was no work,” ....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52337

#Somalia graduates first female military cadets in historic break from patriarchy

To instill professionalism in Somalia's military, the country graduated its first-ever female cadets, defying deeply entrenched patriarchy in the Horn of Africa nation, and perhaps showcasing a milestone in gender mainstreaming within the military.

The officers graduated from a #Turkish-run military academy in Somalia after three years of rigorous training, courage, and discipline. The officers join hundreds of male counterparts who have gone through Turkish and American academies in Somalia.

The 11 officers have now become the pioneer female cadets in Somalia's Navy, Air Force, and Army, a development seen as a powerful step forward for Somali women in uniform. One will serve in the Air Force, two in the Navy, and the remaining individuals will serve in the Army.

https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-graduates-first-female-military-cadets-in-historic-break-from-patriarchy

#Ethiopia: Fed. Court postpones hearing for detained #Sheger FM journalists, CPJ calls for their release

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Ethiopian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Sheger FM Radio reporter Mintamir Tsegaw and editor Tigist Zerihun after their court appearance was postponed from Friday to Monday, 8 September 2025.

Colleagues at Sheger FM said the Ethiopian Media #Authority (EMA) issued a letter accusing the station of “incitement to violence and bias” following a report on health professionals. The station later removed the report from its social media pages. CPJ confirmed in a statement released on 5 September 2025 that the content had been deleted.

Their hearing at the Lideta Branch of the Federal High Court, initially scheduled for 5 September, was delayed due to the court’s heavy workload.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52341

#Op_ed: #GERD Inauguration: #Egypt’s opportunity to rethink relations with #Ethiopia

The author of this op-ed emphasizes that the upcoming inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a historic achievement for Ethiopia, celebrated as “a symbol of national resilience,” while simultaneously presenting a “troubling development for Egypt.” He supports this argument by highlighting a recent joint communiqué from Egypt and #Sudan’s foreign and water ministers, which labels the dam a “unilateral project,” echoing decades of opposition.

The author notes that Egypt has long sought to undermine Ethiopia's development, fearing that a strong Ethiopia would threaten its regional dominance. He states, “It is no secret that successive Egyptian administrations have deliberated on ways to keep Ethiopia divided and weak.” The author cites historical evidence of Egypt’s efforts to weaken Ethiopia, including supporting separatist groups, getting involved in regional conflicts, and attempting to block international funding for the GERD. Despite these actions, the article highlights that Ethiopia completed the dam and suggests this “offers Egypt a chance to change course and pursue genuine cooperation.”

With the GERD's completion, the author underscores that now is a pivotal moment for change. The central question, he contends, is whether Egypt will abandon its destabilizing policies and embrace “good-faith negotiations” that could secure a shared, sustainable future for both nations.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52330

#Ethiopia: ‘We need to prepare our minds and ourselves”: Brg. Gen Bulto Tadesse, Ethiopian Defense College Chief, on possible military role in #Red_Sea bid

Brig. Gen. Bulti Tadesse, Chief of the Ethiopian Defense College, said that Ethiopia’s quest for Red Sea access is primarily about peace and national security rather than wealth.

The senior military general became one of a string of senior military and political leaders in Ethiopia to argue the need for Ethiopia to pursue access to the Red Sea; although he, too said the government is pursuing it “through diplomacy, peace, or understanding.”

In a statement issued through state-affiliated media, he cautioned that soldiers must also be ready if called upon: “This is why we need to prepare our minds and ourselves for how we can act if our government gives us authority or duty in the future.”

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#Yemen’s #Houthis claim responsibility for drone attack on #Israeli airport

Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone strike against Israel’s Ramon Airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat that injured two people.

The attack on Sunday, which targeted the arrivals hall, had halted operations at the airport for around two hours.

“A drone targeted Ramon Airport, which, by Allah’s grace, directly hit the airport and caused the airport to shut down and halt air traffic,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement.

He added that the attack was part of a broader drone operation that also targeted other sites in southern Israel.

Saree vowed that the Houthis will “escalate” their attacks against Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces assure all air navigation companies that the airports inside occupied Palestine are unsafe and will be continuously targeted,” he said.

https://aje.io/863zjj

#Ethiopia: Police in #Tigray arrest human smugglers attempting to traffic 37 people

Police in Southeast Tigray Zone arrested suspects attempting to traffic 37 people, including 13 children, through 70 Enderta Woreda. Rising food insecurity and limited job opportunities are pushing many youths in Tigray to take dangerous migration routes via Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden. Regional authorities estimate that at least 32,000 young people leave Tigray illegally each year using both northern and eastern routes.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52349

#Puntland deploys troops to block voter registration in #Sool region

Puntland authorities have deployed troops to parts of the Sool region in an attempt to halt voter registration for one-person, one-vote elections launched by #Somalia’s federal government and the newly declared Northeastern administration.

Residents told HOL that Puntland forces moved into Boocame district and the nearby Falariyale area, where federal & Northeastern electoral commissions had begun registration.

Both areas are home to Puntland Vice Pres. Ilyas Osman, who has openly rejected voter registration there.

Local sources say the vice president is mobilizing his clan-based forces and has warned that they will resist any attempt to carry out registration. Lugatoor recently visited the contested districts, declaring them part of Puntland and laying foundation stones for development projects funded by his amdin.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Sept/202843/puntland_deploys_troops_to_block_voter_registration_in_sool_region.aspx

#Commentary: #GERD: New reality in Nile Basin; #Africa’s emerging power dynamic

For more than a decade, #Egypt has sought to halt or disrupt the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). As the dam's official inauguration approaches, Memar Ayalew Demeke, the author of this commentary, emphasizes an undeniable truth: “Egypt must now confront the irreversible reality that GERD’s inauguration is no longer a possibility to prevent but a certainty to accept.” He adds, “The era of resistance has ended; the age of adaptation must begin.”

The author explains that Egypt’s admission that 12 years of negotiations “yielded no concrete outcomes” signifies the collapse of its historical dominance, which was rooted in colonial-era treaties. He notes the GERD’s completion marks the end of Egypt’s "hydro-hegemony," a position maintained for over a century by treaties that granted it veto power over upstream projects. As Memar writes, “The psychological shift is profound: Egypt must now request water security rather than demand it, negotiate as an equal rather than dictate terms.”

The article further highlights that for #Ethiopia, the GERD is a triumph of self-reliance. Financed primarily through domestic fundraising, it embodies “Africa’s capacity for self-determination in the face of international opposition.” Beyond its political implications, the dam's power output is poised to transform Ethiopia’s economy, provide electricity to millions, and establish the nation as a regional energy hub.

The author argues that the GERD’s inauguration marks “not just the completion of Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, but the definitive end of an era where downstream nations controlled the fate of the world’s longest river.” He states that the choice for Egypt and #Sudan is clear: "embrace cooperation and seek mutual benefits or persist in futile opposition while Ethiopia and other upstream nations forge ahead with their development agenda."

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52344

#CBE says it financed 91% of #GERD construction costs through loans

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has announced that it provided financing services for more than 91% of the construction cost of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), amounting to over 223 billion birr. The dam is scheduled to be inaugurated on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.

In addition to its financing role, the bank facilitated the collection of public contributions through bond sales and donations. CBE said it has “played an irreplaceable role” in supporting the project since its inception.

Construction of the GERD began in April 2011. The dam, which holds a 74 billion cubic meter (BCM) reservoir and has an installed capacity of 5,150 megawatts (MW), is set to become Africa’s largest hydropower facility once fully operational.

Despite ongoing objections from #Egypt, #Ethiopia maintains that the GERD stands as a symbol of African self-reliance and regional development.

#Ethiopia accuses #Arab League of bias toward #Egypt in Nile Dam dispute

Ethiopia's ambassador to Somalia has sharply criticized the Arab League, accusing it of siding with Egypt in the long-running dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and undermining Ethiopia's right to use its own natural resources.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Ambassador Suleiman Dedefo questioned the neutrality and purpose of the Arab League, implying that it has become an extension of Egyptian foreign policy.

"Is this truly a League of Arab Nations, or merely an instrument executing Egypt's anti-Ethiopia policy?" he wrote.

"The League has overlooked the conflicts, displacement, and famine affecting its member states while obsessively targeting Ethiopia's development of its own water resources," Mr. Dedefo added.

https://www.garoweonline.com/en/world/africa/ethiopia-accuses-arab-league-of-bias-toward-egypt-in-nile-dam-dispute

#GERD project manager says #Sudan, #Egypt should have shared half of construction cost

In a televised interview, Eng. Kifle Horo, project manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said the project brings significant benefits not only to Ethiopia but also to downstream countries, particularly Sudan and Egypt. He emphasized that Sudan will benefit from consistent water flow, reduced flooding, full reservoirs, and year-round farming opportunities.

On Egypt, Kifle noted that the dam’s location in Ethiopia reduces evaporation compared to Egypt’s plain-based reservoir, potentially saving an additional 4 billion cubic meters of water annually.

He argued that given these advantages, “Sudan should have covered at least 30% and Egypt 20% of the cost,” adding that instead of cooperating, both countries opposed the project, costing Ethiopia lives and resources.

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