Year: 2014
-
Freedom of expression defines the rise and fall of nations
Mesenbet Assefa I was provoked to contribute to the debate on the right to freedom of expression when I read your Editorial about the significance of freedom of expression in serving as a market place of ideas in a democratic society. Given the topical significance of the subject, I thought it would be interesting to highlight some of the foundational…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
Ethiopia formally charges bloggers, journalists with terrorism as confusion surrounds the process
Ethiopian Prosecutors have today formally charged six members of the blog Zone9 and three independent journalists detained nearly three months ago. Soliana Shimelis, the seventh defendant of the group Zone9 is charged in absentia, according to a local bi weekly, The Reporter. However, earlier on Thursday, the lawyer for the eight defendants Amha Mekonnen told AFP that they were “waiting…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
The EU provides another €750 million to support peace and security efforts in Africa
Today the EU has adopted an action program that will provide up to €750 million during the period 2014-2016 to support peace and security in Africa. The new funding had been announced by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, at the Africa-EU summit in April and will be channeled through the African Peace Facility (APF) to support…
Click Here to read more. -
A new Caliphate?
By Bernard Haykel and Cole Bunzel PRINCETON – The recent declaration of a caliphate by the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is an unprecedented event in modern times. Regardless of how it turns out, one thing is clear: violent jihadism is now an entrenched feature of the Arab political landscape. Not since the Turkish Republic…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
BREAKING: EU imposes sanctions on South Sudanese military leaders
The EU today imposed sanctions against two individuals it said were “obstructing the South Sudanese peace process and responsible for atrocities,” as part of wider EU efforts to stop violence and avoid further instability in the region. The EU failed to mention the names of the two individuals who its statement said were “responsible for violating the ceasefire agreement.” However,…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration visits Ethiopia, South Sudan
Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne C. Richard traveled to Ethiopia and South Sudan from July 8-15th, 2014, the US Department of State office of the spokesperson said in a statement. While in Ethiopia, Ms. Richard traveled to the Gambella Region in Western Ethiopia to visit South Sudanese refugees living in camps and to observe…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
Ethiopia admits detaining senior opposition leader, conducts fresh crackdown against opposition party members
Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) and Federal Police Joint Counter-terrorism Taskforce finally admitted it had detained Andargachew Tsige, second-in-command of Ginbot-7, an outlawed opposition party based in the US, since June 23. According to a joint statement from the NISS and the taskforce, Andargachew was detained at Sena’a airport, Yemen, on June 23, while in transit to Eritrea…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
International Contact Group on the Central African Republic meets in Addis Ababa
The Fifth meeting of the International Contact Group on the Central African Republic (ICG-CAR) was opened yesterday July 7th by key speakers from the African Union, United Nations, the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The Contact Group has been meeting since May last year to discuss coordinated regional, continental…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
Corporation to award Addis Abeba Light Rail System management contracts
The Ethiopian Railway Corporation announced last week that it was looking forward to establish an international system which would upgrade operation and maintenance works of the ongoing construction of the Addis Abeba Light Rail System. During a pre bid meeting aimed at making the Addis Abeba Light Rail System more efficient and reliable, Dr. Getachew Betru, the Ethiopian Railway Corporation…
Click Here to read more. - Africa
Bench Events unveils schedule for highly awaited Africa Hotel Investment Forum
Bench Events, the organizer of The Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), the world’s leading conference on hospitality investment in Africa, has unveiled a thought-provoking program and high caliber speaker line-up for AHIF 2014, under the theme ‘Reaching New Heights’. The Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) 2014 is scheduled to take place on 29 Sept – 1 Oct in Addis Ababa,…
Click Here to read more.