Month: October 2018
- Africa
News Alert: Ambassador Sahlework Zewde to become Ethiopia’s president
Addis Abeba, Oct. 24/2018 – Sources close to the government confirmed to Addis Standard late this afternoon news that Ambassador Sahlework Zewde, a prominent Ethiopian diplomat with years of experience with the UN, will be replacing the outgoing president, Dr. Mulatu Teshome, who has been the president since October 2013. She will become the first female head of state since…
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News: UK, US Embassies in Ethiopia partner to support communication between government and media
Addis Abeba, Oct. 23, 2018 – The Embassies of the United Kingdom and United States of America in Addis Abeba have launched a joint capacity-building project for government communicators and journalists. The “Supporting Communication between Government and Journalists” program is part of ongoing efforts to support the Ethiopia’s political reform process, according to a statement from the US embassy. “The…
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News: Protesters killed by security forces in southern Tigray region, northern Ethiopia
Addis Abeba, Oct. 22/2018 – Tigray regional state communication bureau confirmed that at least three protesters were killed yesterday by security forces in Alamata, some 758 km from Addis Abeba, in southern district of the Tigay regional state in northern Ethiopia. But residents who spoke to the BBC Amharic put the number of causalities up to five. The killing happened…
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Updated: PM Abiy Ahmed appoints 55 state ministers today
Additional Update: According to Fitsum Aregaa, Chief of Staff at Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office, PM Abiy has appointed a total of 55 state ministers “for his newly established Cabinet.” Accordingly, the following is a list containing all the 55 names and the ministries they are assigned to. ED”s Note: The list of the four state ministers and their respective…
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News: Ethiopia, ONLF sign historic peace deal
Addis Abeba, Oct. 22/2018 -Ethiopian government delegation led by Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu have signed a peace deal with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) delegation led by Admiral Mohamed Omar Osman in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, yesterday October 21. According to a statement from ONLF, “the two sides have reached a historical agreement regarding the political rights of the…
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News: Police accuse ex Somali region president of attempt to escape prison, strangling security guard. Defendant denies, accuses the police of mistreatment
Abdi Iley in one of his court appearances in the capital Addis Abeba (Pic Social media archive) Mahlet Fasil Addis Abeba, Oct. 19/2018 – The federal police investigating ex Somali region president Abdi Mohamed Omar told the federal high court today that the deposed president had “attempted to escape prison by smashing a window & strangling a guard”, an accusation…
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In-depth Analysis: Managing Political Transition in Ethiopia: The Choice Factor
Ezekiel Gebissa, For Addis Standard Addis Abeba, October 17/2018 – Ethiopia is in the midst of a political transition. There is genuine elation that the rule of violence has ended and a democratically elected government is in the offing. Yet, there is collective anxiety that this transition could become another false start to democracy. A sense of déjà vu looms…
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News update: PM Abiy Ahmed’s downsized cabinet sees 50 per cent women ministers assume key positions
Addis Standard staffs Addis Abeba, Oct. 16/2018 – For the second time since becoming Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed formed a new cabinet today. But unlike the first one, PM Abiy has downsized the number of ministers from 28 to 20 and equalized the gender composition to 50% women and 50% men; he also gave key positions, such as minister…
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Opinion: Where to be, on the right or left of Abiy? That is the question
Close to one million civilians were displaced due to the recent violence in West Guji and Gedeo zones of the Oromia and southern regional states respectively Messay Kebede, For Addis Standard Addis Abeba, Oct. 11/2018 – Ethnic tensions and violent clashes and subsequent displacements of people in some regions of Ethiopia and around Addis Abeba have set off alarmist, if…
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