Hyena attack kills child in #Mekelle IDP shelter, sparks outrage

A hyena carried away and killed a young boy from an internally displaced persons (#IDP) shelter in Mekelle, displaced residents told local television on Thursday. The incident occurred in the early hours of September 23, when 1-year-and-4-month-old Naod Haileselassie was taken from his family’s residence in the 70 Square IDP center. His parents, displaced from Western #Tigray, have lived in the camp for nearly five years.

#Welkait Civil Society called the killing “a tragic consequence of displacement and stalled peace implementation,” urging the government to fully enact the Pretoria Agreement. Tsilal Civil Society of Western Tigray said the attack reflects a humanitarian crisis “ignored for too long,” appealing for immediate aid, real camp security, and lasting solutions.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52562

News: #Ethiopia, #Kenya sign 2nd Defense Cooperation Agreement in history covering intelligence sharing, joint exercises

Ethiopia and Kenya have signed a new Defense Cooperation Agreement (#DCA), more than six decades after the first such pact was concluded in 1963, the year Kenya gained independence.

Key timeline:

The signing of the DCA today follows a series of military engagements between the two countries in the past one year and half.

In Feb. 2024: the two top generals met in Nairobi, pledging to tackle cross-border security challenges including contraband, drugs & human trafficking.

In Nov 2024: Kenyan delegation visited Addis Abeba, agreeing to expand joint training & security ops.

In February 2025: Kenya launched Operation Ondoa Jangili in Marsabit & Isiolo to “crack down on alleged “OLA-linked hideouts.” However, OLA, denied involvement in the listed criminal activities.

Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=52570

#Somalia says no to #Egyptian and #Ethiopian peacekeepers clashing on its soil

There will be no "proxy war" between Egypt and Ethiopia on Somali soil, according to the country's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said there is no possibility of Egyptian and Ethiopian peacekeepers clashing in his country, amid a bitter rivalry between the two regional heavyweights.

Egyptian troops are set to arrive in the nation soon as part of the African Union Somalia peacekeeping mission (AUSSOM), which also includes Ethiopian soldiers.

Egypt's participation in the new mission has angered Ethiopia, with the two countries locked in a long-running diplomatic dispute over the control of the Nile River waters.

Mohamud told the BBC that there will be no "proxy war" between Egypt and Ethiopia on Somali soil.

"Since the two countries' armies are not close to each other in Somalia, there is no chance of conflict," he said in an interview, adding that their troops would be stationed hundreds of kilometres apart.

"I see no reason why Egypt wants to disturb Ethiopia. I also see no reason why Ethiopia wants to disturb the Egyptian peacekeeping forces in Somalia," he added.

https://www.euronews.com/2025/09/24/somalia-says-no-to-egypt-ethiopia-peacekeeper-proxy-war-on-its-soil

Ruto’s presence at #Ethiopia dam launch sparks #Egypt’s frustration

Egypt has expressed frustration after President William Ruto attended the high-level launch of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), citing concerns that the event undermined ongoing negotiations over the Nile Basin waters.

Ambassador Hatem Yousri Hosni, Egypt’s envoy to Kenya, on Wednesday, September 24, said the construction of the dam violates international law and does not respect established legal frameworks.

While noting that Egypt respects the right of every Nile Basin country to benefit from the waters through electricity generation, he expressed disappointment that Kenya participated in the launch.

“We were frustrated that Kenya was represented at that event. No other country from the Basin was present only Kenya. Djibouti and Somalia are not part of the Nile Basin,” he said.

https://thekenyatimes.com/latest-kenya-times-news/egypt-ruto/

#Ethiopia: Sheger FM journalists released after more than 20 days in detention

Addis Abeba – #Sheger FM Radio announced that its journalists, editor Tigist Zerihun and reporter Mintamer Tsegaw, were released on 24 September 2025 after spending more than 20 days in detention.

Their release followed a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court’s Second Criminal Bench, which upheld an earlier decision of the Federal High Court, Lideta Division, granting the journalists bail set at 50,000 birr each. The court also dismissed an appeal by the Federal Police Crime Investigation Bureau that claimed the pair could tamper with evidence if freed.

According to Sheger FM, the two journalists were released in the afternoon of 24 September. They had been detained since 29 August, four days after broadcasting a report citing a Ministry of Health circular and featuring healthcare professionals’ demands for improved pay and benefits.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52584

Nearly half of #Somalia's youngest children at risk of malnutrition

Nearly half of children aged under five in Somalia could face acute malnutrition by July 2026 due to a convergence of crises, as funding cuts reduce health and nutrition services across the country, according to Save the children

Flash flooding, below-average rainfall, high food prices and ongoing conflict have combined to drive hunger levels up 30% across Somalia, with the south worst hit, according to new figures from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which monitors global hunger.

IPC estimates that 4.4 million people, or just under a quarter of the population, will experience high levels of acute food insecurity by the end of 2025. This includes over 921,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity or Phase 4, the second highest IPC level ....

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2025-press-releases/somalia-youngest-children-at-risk-malnutrition

#Opinion: #Ge'ez in #Amhara Schools: When nostalgia trumps survival

In #Ethiopia’s Amhara region, a heated debate has arisen following the decision to introduce Ge’ez—the ancient liturgical language—into elementary school curricula. While some hail the move as a vital step toward preserving cultural heritage, Eyob Yohannes, author of this opinion piece, contends that it diverts attention from a far more urgent national challenge: Ethiopia’s deepening literacy crisis and the imperative to prepare students for an increasingly globalized world.

He argues that the real crisis lies not in language choice, but in the system’s failure to equip children with foundational skills essential for “effectively navigating the global systems that determine survival.” The author points to Ethiopia’s “low proficiency” ranking on the EF English Proficiency Index and notes that fewer than 30% of children meet basic reading benchmarks—even in their mother tongues. Compounding the problem are severe structural deficiencies: “overcrowded classrooms,” with some districts reporting ratios as high as 119 students per teacher, and “chronically under-resourced schools.”

The article notes that “every hour devoted to Ge’ez is an hour not spent on improving Amharic literacy or enhancing English instruction.” While culturally resonant, languages like Ge’ez offer “limited practical value” in domains such as science, technology, higher education, and the global economy. Prioritizing symbolic heritage over essential competencies, Eyob cautions, risks producing “a generation that is proud yet powerless.”

The author emphasizes that schools must serve as “engines of survival, not museums of memory.” As he puts it, “Education policy should honor the past, but above all, it must prepare children for the future.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52576

#Kenya’s Ruto demands permanent #African seat on the Security Council, highlights support for Haiti

Kenyan President William Ruto told world leaders at the #UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council is “unacceptable, unfair and grossly unjust.”

He demanded reforms that would provide at least two permanent seats with full rights – including the power to veto – and two additional nonpermanent seats.

“You cannot claim to be the United Nations while disregarding the voice of 54 nations. It is not possible,” Mr. Ruto said in his address to the annual high-level debate.

He pointed out that Africa dominates much of the Security Council’s agenda, provides some of the largest peacekeeping contingents and “bears the heaviest costs of instability, yet remains the only continent without a permanent seat at the main table.”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165937

Analysis: Pastoralists in #Borana say livestock insurance failed them after drought losses

Addis Abeba – The pastoralist communities who purchased livestock insurance to safeguard their herds told Addis Standard that despite making payments, they have not received compensation for losses, saying, “The insurance we bought has not paid us.” Zonal and #Oromia officials, however, maintain that payouts were implemented.

Masresha Taye, a livestock insurance expert who was involved in the implementation of the insurance, explained that livestock insurance in Ethiopia was introduced by the International Livestock Institute as an “Index-Based Livestock Insurance Product,” launched with funding from #USAID and the #UK Department of International Development.

The scheme aimed to protect up to 80% of pastoralists’ herds from drought-related loss and reduce dependency on aid. First piloted in Kenya in 2010, it expanded to Ethiopia’s Borana zone in 2012.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52594

#Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, #Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko discuss cooperation roadmap in Moscow

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the World Atomic Week forum in #Moscow on 25 September, the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA) reported.

During the talks, the two leaders discussed ways to expand bilateral relations and agreed on the need to develop a cooperation roadmap by the end of the year.

Lukashenko emphasized Belarus’ readiness to cooperate across multiple sectors, including military-technical collaboration. He invited Prime Minister Abiy to visit Belarus to further explore potential partnerships.

For his part, Abiy highlighted agriculture and construction as key sectors for collaboration. Abiy further acknowledged Belarus’ military-technical expertise and the support it could provide to Ethiopia.

https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-meets-with-ethiopian-pm-in-moscow-171854-2025/

#Kenya’s Ruto calls for sweeping overhaul of global financial system at #UNGA

Kenyan President William Ruto has called for sweeping reforms of international financial institutions, accusing them of perpetuating global inequality instead of ensuring stability.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September, Ruto said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank remain dominated by wealthy nations, despite a vastly changed global context.

“The current global financial architecture punishes poor countries with high interest rates and enormous conditionalities while rewarding rich nations with softer lending terms,” Ruto told world leaders.

He criticized recent IMF allocations of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), noting that 64% went to wealthy nations “who didn’t need the money anyway,” while poorer countries received just 2.4%.


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#Ethiopian president calls for equal access for all states to #Red_Sea, #Indian_Ocean

Ethiopia will pursue ‘a comprehensive approach’ to ensure equal development, security for all states along Red Sea and Indian Ocean,’ says Taye Atske Selassie.


Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie called Thursday for equal access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean for all states, citing the seas as the “common heritage” of humanity.

“The international law maxim that defines the high seas as a common heritage of mankind and guarantees equal right of access and use to all states must be brought to reality in collaboration with other states,” Selassie told the UN General Assembly in New York.

He said no state should be excluded from development opportunities due to geography, echoing remarks in August by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

Selassie vowed that the East African country would pursue a “comprehensive approach” to ensure equal development and security for all states along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and continue advancing its “legitimate policy objective through diplomacy and peaceful engagement.”

He said Ethiopia, as Africa’s second most populous country and one facing significant maritime threats, places high importance on the safety and security of navigation in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/ethiopian-president-calls-for-equal-access-for-all-states-to-red-sea-indian-ocean/3699488

#AU chief warns of #Somalia fragility, calls for $196 million to sustain peace mission

The African Union’s top official warned Thursday that Somalia’s fragile gains risk unraveling unless international partners urgently plug a nearly $200 million funding gap for the continent’s newest peace mission.

Speaking at a high-level pledging conference on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf praised Somalia’s progress — from debt relief to winning a seat on the UN Security Council — but cautioned that al-Shabaab continues to menace the country.

“Somalia cannot shoulder this burden alone,” Youssouf said. “Without urgent, predictable, and sustainable financing, hard-won achievements risk being undone.”

He underscored that the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), launched in January to replace ATMIS, will require $196 million in 2025. The AU, he noted, has already doubled its Peace Fund contribution to $20 million, but called on the UN, EU and other partners to match Africa’s commitment.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Sept/203078/au_chief_warns_of_somalia_fragility_calls_for_196_million_to_sustain_peace_mission.aspx

News: #Ethiopia, #Russia sign action plan to advance nuclear power project

Ethiopia and Russia have formalized an action plan to advance the development of a nuclear power project in Ethiopia as part of a wider roadmap for cooperation discussed during Prime Minister #Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Moscow.

The agreement was exchanged on Thursday 25 September 2025 between Alexei Likhachev, Director General of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, and Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos. It outlines practical steps for cooperation between Rosatom and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation in building a nuclear power plant in Ethiopia.

In an interview with local media, Ethiopia’s National Nuclear Program Coordinator, Teklemariam Tessema (PhD), outlined the country’s plans to build both research and power-generating nuclear reactors.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52608

#Ethiopian marathon champion Shewarge Alene dies at 30, four months after winning 2025 Stockholm Marathon

Addis Abeba – Ethiopian long-distance runner Shewarge Alene has died at the age of 30, just four months after her victory at the 2025 #Stockholm Marathon, according to local media and BBC reports.

Shewarge reportedly collapsed during a training session near Addis Abeba and was taken to hospital, where she died. The organizers of the Stockholm Marathon also confirmed her passing.

“It is with deep sorrow that we have received the news of the passing of Shewarge Alene, winner of adidas Stockholm Marathon 2025,” the organizers wrote on Instagram. “Shewarge Alene became unwell during a training session and was taken to hospital, where sadly, her life could not be saved. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones”

Shewarge’s victory in Stockholm in May was her last competitive race

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid021dEqVmUEhwc7BFPAp97BSviks9VVfy4Bx6L3TUNHJQ8aDtb6WbPzZGwPRHJtGE3xl

From 190 internet shutdowns in #Africa since 2016, #Ethiopia alone registered 30 – report

A new study has found that Africa recorded more than 190 internet shutdowns between 2016 and 2024, with Ethiopia alone accounting for 30 cases — the highest on the continent.

The research, published in the book Internet Shutdowns in Africa: Technology, Rights and Power by the African Digital Rights Network and the Institute of Development Studies, shows shutdowns across Africa have more than doubled, rising from 14 in 2016 to 28 in 2024. #Sudan followed Ethiopia with 21 shutdowns, while #Algeria recorded 14.

In Ethiopia, blackouts were heavily imposed during the Tigray conflict, cutting off millions from communication and essential services. Researchers warn shutdowns are increasingly being used to stifle protests, silence dissent, and restrict political participation.

“In Ethiopia, internet shutdowns have become a go-to tactic......

https://www.ids.ac.uk/news/internet-shutdowns-in-africa-double-since-2016/

#Opinion: Cathedral of Empty Applause: Why #African leaders must abandon #UN General Assembly ritual

In this opinion piece, Mohamud A. Ahmed argues that while this year's United Nations General Assembly (#UNGA) once again brings heads of state to #New_York, it remains a costly, low-return ritual for Africa. He describes the event as "a cathedral of empty applause," where discussions on peace, poverty, and climate change fail to address genuine crises.

The author notes that African leaders attend with extravagant entourages, spending millions on motorcades, luxury accommodations, and allowances, even as "hospitals in rural #Malawi run out of oxygen" and schools in #Kenya lack basic resources. He points out the paradox that "leaders who lament debt at the podium deepen debt by their presence."

The article highlights that decades of speeches have not altered global trade imbalances, halted illicit financial flows, or secured substantial climate reparations. Instead, Africa’s voice is merely "permitted but never prioritized." Ahmed contends that leaders have confused prestige abroad with genuine power at home, yet "prestige cannot irrigate farmland, vaccinate children, or silence guns."

The author urges an end to this "theater," suggesting that Africa must redirect resources toward building robust institutions and tangible progress at home instead of pursuing applause in Manhattan. He concludes, "No foreign podium will save Africa. No applause in New York will silence hunger in African villages."

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52605

#Ethiopia: Suspects in #Oromia subjected to threats, intimidation and beatings during arrests, interrogations: EHRC

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (#EHRC) has reported that suspects in Oromia face threats, intimidation, and beatings during their arrest and interrogation.

The findings come from EHRC’s monitoring of suspects’ human rights treatment in 156 police stations and non-conventional detention centers across Oromia during the 2017 Ethiopian calendar year (from September 2024 to August 2025).

The Commission said it found suspects held in detention for prolonged periods without being brought before a court or charged, often under the pretext of “current affairs.” EHRC further reported that some individuals were detained in police stations without a court order over civil matters, while others faced threats, intimidation, and beatings during arrest and interrogation.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52615

#Ethiopia’s President Taye Atske Selassie urges Africa debt relief & UN reform at #UNGA

Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie has called for urgent reforms of the global financial system, stressing the critical need to address #Africa’s growing debt crisis. Speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, he urged that trade restrictions and coercive measures targeting African nations be lifted immediately.

“The current global financial framework limits Africa’s development aspirations, punishing nations with heavy debts while wealthy countries enjoy favorable terms,” President Taye said. He also reiterated Africa’s demand for fair representation in the UN Security Council and called for stronger support to regional peace missions, including the African Union Mission in Somalia.

He concluded by defending Palestinian rights and urging the international community to act decisively for justice and equality in Africa.

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#South_African president appeals for renewal of #AGOA

As the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) nears its expiry at the end of September, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the United States to renew the pact, warning that its lapse would carry serious consequences for South Africa.

"its expiry would not only undermine those gains, but also remove the link to the Generalized System of Preferences, which has been so critical to many of our exporters," Ramaphosa said.

Speaking at the South Africa-U.S. Trade and Investment Dialogue on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday night, Ramaphosa said industries such as agriculture and automotive manufacturing have significantly benefited from AGOA.

https://english.news.cn/africa/20250926/909678dbedc243bda931cac33b387e15/c.html

#ENDF seeks peaceful solutions, remains ready to counter ‘Security Dilemma’ threats

Lieutenant General Hachalu Sheleme, head of the ENDF Human Resource Department, said the defense force has developed into a reliable institution with strong armament, leadership, organizational capacity, and experience. He noted that tens of thousands of young #Ethiopians continue to join its ranks, reflecting the trust placed in the ENDF and ensuring the institution remains on a secure and sustainable path.

Brigadier General Getnet Adane, spokesperson for the ENDF, said the government has put in place extensive plans to safeguard Ethiopia’s national interests. He emphasized that the country seeks to resolve issues peacefully but cautioned that a “security dilemma” may arise if others misinterpret Ethiopia’s intentions. In such circumstances, he said, the army must remain fully prepared to respond while prioritizing peaceful solutions.

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