News: #Ethiopia restores electricity to various towns in Southern #Tigray, #Amhara regions

The power outage, along with other basic services, have been in place since June 2021 when Tigrayan forces took over most parts of Tigray after ten months of the start of the war in early November 2020.

The Federal government accuses Tigrayan forces of deliberately destructing electric infrastructures, while the Tigrayan authorities say the government has deliberately cut off basic services including electricity, banking and communications in areas under the administration of the Tigray regional government.

https://addisstandard.com/news-ethiopia-restores-electricity-to-various-towns-in-southern-tigray-amhara-regions/

News: #Ethiopian women, children bear brunt of pandemic, conflicts, drought induced basic rights violation: Rights Commission

In addition to the war-torn regions in northern Ethiopia, women and children in #Somali, #Afar, #Oromia, #Gambella, #BenishangulGumuz, and #SNNP regional states have also experienced basic rights violations due to recurring conflicts, according to the report.

Women and children have also been exposed to illegal human trafficking and exploitation, including those who work in the industrial parks.

https://addisstandard.com/news-ethiopian-women-children-bear-brunt-of-pandemic-conflicts-drought-induced-basic-rights-violation-rights-commission/

News: Gov’t trying to convince Tigrayan authorities to “respect the law of the land, to respect the constitution, to act as one state in #Ethiopia”: PM

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that the federal government is “trying to convince [the] TPLF to respect the law of the land, to respect the constitution, to act as one state in Ethiopia.”

He added that if the Tigrayan authorities could understand the government’s interest, and “believe [in] their own constitution and work accordingly, I think peace will be achieved.”

Meanwhile, the US reiterated that the objectives of the ongoing peace talks "is quite simple: to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities, to achieve the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all Ethiopians in need, additional measures – securing measures to protect civilians, and seeing Eritrea’s withdrawal from northern Ethiopia.”

https://addisstandard.com/news-govt-trying-to-convince-tigrayan-authorities-to-respect-the-law-of-the-land-to-respect-the-constitution-to-act-as-one-state-in-ethiopia-pm/

Feature: Teachers, parents reel from lack of basic facilities in #AddisAbeba’s Afaan Oromo only schools

By Getahun Legesse

Once hailed as one of the affirmative responses to accommodate the needs of Oromo residents of the Addis Abeba city who want to send their kids to study in #AfaanOromo-only Schools, the teachers and students in these schools are now reeling from the double shock of chronic lack of basic facilities, which contribute to the poor quality of education, according to teachers, students and parents who spoke with #AddisStandard.

https://addisstandard.com/feature-teachers-parents-reel-from-lack-of-basic-facilities-in-addis-abebas-afaan-oromo-only-schools/

#Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines Launches Boeing 787 Dreamliner Flights To #Zürich

It is Ethiopian's 16th passenger destination in Europe.

Ethiopian Airlines now serves Zürich, the Swiss city and important Star Alliance hub. It follows Ethiopian's launch of #Amman, and it comes as the airline introduces #Bulawayo, the second-largest city in #Zimbabwe, and begins #Manchester via #Geneva rather than via #Brussels, part of various other European changes.

https://simpleflying.com/ethiopian-airlines-boeing-787-zurich-launch/

#NewsAlert: #Obasanjo to give first press briefing today on ongoing AU-led Ethiopia peace talks

Olusegun Obasanjo, the High Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, is scheduled to provide a briefing to the media today in the afternoon in Pretoria.

The briefing is the first formal communication since the AU-led peace talks were launched on Tuesday 25 October.

The US, whose Horn of Africa Envoy Ambassador Mike Hammer remains in South Africa and “continues to be both as a participant and an observer”, reiterated that the peace talk was aimed at achieving “an immediate cessation of hostilities, to achieve the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all Ethiopians in need, additional measures – securing measures to protect civilians, and seeing Eritrea’s withdrawal from northern Ethiopia.”

https://addisstandard.com/newsalert-obasanjo-to-give-first-press-briefing-today-on-ongoing-au-led-ethiopia-peace-talks/

News: #Cholera outbreak kills nine as cases spike to over 330 in Bale zone #Oromia and bordering #Somali regions

The first cholera case was reported in Harana Buluk woreda of Bale zone, Southern Oromia region of Ethiopia on 27 August this year. On 18 September, Berbere woreda became the second woreda reporting cholera cases, soon after followed by Delo Mena woreda where suspected cases were reported in Burka IDPs site on 03 October.

According to the report the Cholera outbreak is active in 23 kebeles of three districts of Bale Zone of Oromia and nine kebeles of one district of Liban zone, Somali regions. Additional 114 districts are at risk of an outbreak, including IDP sites.

https://addisstandard.com/news-cholera-outbreak-kills-nine-as-cases-spike-to-over-330-in-bale-zone-oromia-and-bordering-somali-regions/

Latest #UN Situation Report on #Ethiopia

#Tigray region

In Tigray Region, large numbers of people are reportedly taking refuge in Mekelle collective sites and among the host community following heightened hostilities in other parts of the region. High displacements continued to be reported from Central (Adwa, Axum), Eastern (Adigrat, Wukro), and Southern (Korem, Alamata) zones.

Nutrition partners reported lack of supplies for the treatment of more than 25,500 severely malnourished children in the region

#Amhara region

The security situation has improved in general allowing humanitarian partners to reach areas that were so far inaccessible due to insecurity. IDP return movements were reported to newly accessible areas in North Wollo, North Gondar and Wag Hemra zones.

#Afar region

Advice against movement into some areas that was imposed due to rising insecurity was lifted on 21 October following security assessments in Berahle, Dallol and Konneba woredas in Zone 2 (free movement in all zones except Megale) and Gulina and Yallo woredas in Zone 4 (free movement across the zone). This has allowed partners to plan for scaled up assistances in these areas. For example, Child Protection partners are expanding their geographical coverage to support returnees in Afar (Zone 2)

Full report: https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ethiopia

Breaking: #AU-led #Ethiopia peace talk facilitators to announce agreement on cessation of hostilities

Olusegun Obasanjo, the High Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, announced that AU-led peace talks in South Africa has resulted in agreement of cessation of hostilities between the federal government and Tigrayan authorities.

Developing story….

https://addisstandard.com/breaking-au-led-ethiopia-peace-talk-facilitators-to-announce-agreement-on-cessation-of-hostilities/

News: World welcomes #Ethiopia permanent cessation of hostilities with calls for swift implementation

Various diplomats and members of international community have welcomed the signing of cessation of hostilities agreement between the Ethiopian federal government and representatives of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) n South Africa.

The warring parties have agreed to cessation of hostilities on Wednesday during conclusion of the AU-led peace talks that has been ongoing in Pretoria since 25 October.

Following the announcement PM Abiy Ahmed said in a statement that the agreement “is monumental in moving Ethiopia forward on the path of the reforms we embarked upon four and half years ago”.

https://addisstandard.com/news-world-welcomes-ethiopia-permanent-cessation-of-hostilities-with-calls-for-swift-implementation/

#Malaria outbreak in #Ethiopia linked to invasive mosquito from #Asia

A malaria outbreak in Ethiopia earlier this year has been linked to an invasive species of mosquito that can persist throughout the dry season, complicating the fight to prevent the insects’ spread

Over the last decade, the species has spread to Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria. In spring 2022, the city of Dire Dawa in eastern Ethiopia saw an increase in malaria from around 200 cases per year to around 2400 cases, says Fitsum Tadesse at Armauer Hansen Research Institute in Ethiopia.

“There was a huge increase in cases, but there was no formal investigation of what caused the increase,” he says. “So, we decided to jump in and investigate.”

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2345214-malaria-outbreak-in-ethiopia-linked-to-invasive-mosquito-from-asia/

‘More dignity’: aid organizations switch to cash in drought-hit #Ethiopia

Michel Saad, the head OCHA Ethiopia, says it means people can buy from local traders, helping money circulate, but crucially also provides “more dignity” for those in need, compared with the traditional sack of grain.

“Communities know what they need better than humanitarian actors,” Saad says. “So when we give cash, it’s allowing them to be in charge of their own personal lives and say, ‘We believe we need to address this problem or that problem.’ Basically, it’s putting people at the centre.”

The 1,320 beneficiaries of the IRC’s programme in Dasenech, close to Ethiopia’s borders with South Sudan and Kenya, are due to receive a total of 13,500 Ethiopian birr over three monthly instalments.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/03/aid-organisations-ethiopia-horn-of-africa-cash-money-drought

The official version of the AU-led #Ethiopia peace agreement was posted this morning by Ambassador Redwan Hussien, Minister, National Security Advisor of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Please click here to download the full version in one document

https://addisstandard.com/official-version-of-au-led-ethiopia-peace-agreement/

#Ethiopia: #UN Daily Noon Briefing Highlights

On the humanitarian access, we are in contact with the Government of Ethiopia and others to resume the movement of aid convoys and personnel to #Mekelle and #Shire [convoy movements by road to Tigray via Afar remain suspended since 24 August].

Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that critical supplies, including food, nutrition items and medicines, are running very low in #Tigray. Meanwhile, we, along our humanitarian partners, continue to distribute aid with the remaining stocks in the region, and we have started to assist those who are currently in accessible areas.
Last week, about 189,000 newly displaced people North-Western Zone were assisted with food, and around 6,000 displaced people from Afar received food assistance in South-Eastern Zone. Food distribution has also started in Mekelle City last week targeting about 500,000 people.

https://www.unocha.org/story/daily-noon-briefing-highlights-niger-somalia-and-ethiopia

#Somalia: #Ethiopian, #Djibouti doctors arrive in #Mogadishu to treat blast victims

Medical professionals from #Ethiopia and Djibouti arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday, answering the Somali President's call requesting doctors and surgeons from friendly countries to aid Saturday's terror attack victims.

Somalia's Health Minister, Dr. Ali Haji Aden Adan and senior government figures welcomed a delegation of Ethiopian doctors to Mogadishu's airport.

According to the ministry of health, the Ethiopian health team consists of veteran surgeons who will get to work immediately.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2022/Nov/188535/ethiopian_djibouti_doctors_arrive_in_mogadishu_to_treat_blast_victims.aspx?utm_source=hiiraan&utm_medium=SomaliNewsUpdateFront

News: Rights bodies urge effective transitional justice in wake of #Ethiopia peace agreement

“For sustainable and inclusive peace to be achieved, the adoption of a transitional justice policy should be preceded and informed by a nation-wide, genuine, consultative, inclusive, and victim-centered conversation,” #EHRC

“The agreement seen by Human Rights Watch does not explicitly mention the situation for civilians in Western Tigray zone, the site of the ethnic cleansing campaign. The warring parties should facilitate immediate and safe access for international humanitarian agencies – including to formal and informal detention sites without prior notification,” HRW

https://addisstandard.com/news-rights-bodies-urge-effective-transitional-justice-in-wake-of-ethiopia-peace-agreement/

News: Nine priests abducted by militants since last week remain missing in North Shewa, #Oromia Region

Nine out of 11 priests abducted by militants last week in an incident that left a deacon killed in Gebre Guracha town, North Shewa zone of Oromia Region, remain missing, while a priest and parish administrator were released after paying ransom money, a priest from North Shewa, Selale Diocese, told #AddisStandard.

North Shewa, Selale Diocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church said armed militants killed a deacon and kidnapped 11 priests including a parish administrator on 22 October. Adding that most of the churches in the eight districts of the zone have stopped providing services.

https://addisstandard.com/news-nine-priests-abducted-by-militants-since-last-week-remain-missing-in-north-shewa-oromia-region/