#Ethiopia: #CETU calls on gov’t to reconsider additional “salary deductions”, citing rising cost of living, low pay ahead of May Day

The Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) has urged the government to “reconsider additional deductions” from workers’ wages, warning that such measures would “further burden their livelihoods” at a time when many are “struggling to support themselves and their families” amid rising living costs and low wages.

The statement, issued on April 29 ahead of International Workers’ Day, comes as a new bill presented to parliament on March 18 proposes mandatory monthly salary deductions from both public and private sector employees to fund disaster risk management. While CETU did not specify the details of the deductions, it stressed that workers “cannot cope with the cost of living pressures” under “the current low wages being paid.” The Confederation also called for “an increase in the tax-exempt threshold” and a reduction in the “35% income tax bracket for those earning 10,900 birr and above,” saying the current tax system “does not reflect the financial realities of Ethiopian workers.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=49941

At least 41 civilians killed, scores injured in #RSF shelling in #Sudan’s El-Fasher, army says

At least 41 civilians were killed and scores injured in artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, the Sudanese army said on Tuesday. In a statement, the army said the shelling targeted “residential neighborhoods” on Monday night and included “women and children” among the victims.

The army further stated that its forces “repelled the RSF attack” and claimed to have killed “600 militants” and destroyed “25 military vehicles” during the fighting. The RSF has not responded to the army’s claims as of the time of publication.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF in El-Fasher, a key hub for humanitarian operations in Darfur, has intensified since May 2024. According to the UN, at least 400 civilians have been killed and nearly 400,000 displaced in the area. Earlier this month, the RSF said it had “seized control of the Zamzam refugee camp” following clashes with army forces

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/at-least-41-civilians-killed-scores-injured-in-rsf-shelling-in-sudan-s-el-fasher-army-says/3551523#

#Somaliland and #Somalia’s #Puntland exchange prisoners of war in a in a step toward peace, reconciliation

Somaliland and the Puntland State of Somalia have completed the first phase of a formal Prisoner of War (PoW) exchange, marking a step toward regional peace and reconciliation.

Accordingly, Somaliland released 11 Puntland-origin PoWs, who were transferred via Hargeisa’s Egal International Airport. In return, Puntland released 16 Somaliland PoWs, who were subsequently received by Somaliland authorities. The exchange was carried out under government supervision and in accordance with international humanitarian protocols.

Somaliland’s Minister of Justice, Yonis Ahmed Yonis, highlighted the humanitarian and diplomatic significance of the initiative.

“This exchange aligns with our government’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and reconciliation, especially in conflict-affected areas like eastern Sool. It also reflects Somaliland’s adherence to international norms regarding the treatment of prisoners of war.”

Speaking from Garowe, Puntland’s Minister of Justice, Mohamed Abdi Wahaab, confirmed that 15 Somaliland PoWs had been transferred back to their homeland.

“This is a positive step towards building mutual trust and promoting regional peace. It is deeply gratifying to see these young Somali men reunited with their families after years of separation due to war,” he said.

“Such actions reinforce social bonds and enable our communities to heal.”

https://www.horndiplomat.com/2025/04/somaliland-and-somalias-puntland-exchange-prisoners-of-war-in-landmark-peace-gesture/

#Somalia president seeks #Saudi backing to secure #Red_Sea, #Gulf_of_Aden from ‘terrorist groups’

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is calling for stronger regional cooperation, particularly with Saudi Arabia, to secure the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from terrorist threats, warning of growing “coordination” between Al-Shabaab, ISIS, the Houthis, and Al-Qaeda. He emphasized Somalia’s alliance with Saudi Arabia and stressed that maritime security is a collective regional responsibility vital to both security and economic stability.

It is recalled that in December last year, Dr. Abdi Zenebe, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA), said that the Ankara Declaration signed between Ethiopia and Somalia would bring multiple benefits both to Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.

“Through this agreement with Mogadishu, now Ethiopia will not only [be] limited to have access toward the Red Sea, but also to Indian Ocean, (Western Indian Ocean); to the Gulf of Aden,” and that it was a “transcendental matter” that sees Ethiopia “from talking about the border areas and regions” to “discussing about rimland across the Indian Ocean.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=49950

#Ethiopia: #GSTS accuses #TPLF faction of “partisan capture” of #Tigray Development Association, cites “massive opposition” at #Mekelle congress

The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) has accused a faction within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of “partisan institutional capture” of the Tigray Development Association (TDA), attributing what it called “massive opposition and walkouts” at the 12th TDA Congress in Mekelle to this alleged takeover.

In a statement issued on 29 April, GSTS said the TDA—described as an “all-Tigrayan-owned and led development organisation” since its founding in 1989—had long “stood as a beacon of hope” for the region. The group alleged that “political interference” began following what it described as “the TPLF factional, internal schism,” which it said plunged the organisation’s leadership into “institutional turmoil” and gradually eroded “TDA’s promising progress,” ultimately leading to what it called “institutional capture.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=49953

#Editorial: A Dangerous Precedent - raid on Addis Standard is a chilling affront to data privacy in #Ethiopia. We reject the impunity! We ring the alarm bell!

The recent police raid on Addis Standard marks a chilling and unprecedented assault on press freedom and digital privacy in Ethiopia.

This publication, widely recognized for its integrity and public service journalism, was targeted under a false pretext, resulting in the confiscation of electronic devices, unauthorized surveillance, and the planting of malware on returned equipment. In a post-raid assessment, our IT team uncovered evidence of sophisticated surveillance malware planted on returned devices. These tools enabled real-time tracking, unauthorized access to private communications, cloning of sensitive files, and even remote activation of microphones and cameras.

These acts were not isolated incidents of overreach; they constituted a systemic breach of data privacy, safety, and legality.

The police’s open admission of retaining backup data is nothing short of state-sanctioned data theft, with dangerous implications for journalistic sources, civil society, and every citizen who uses digital tools to communicate. This publication rejects such impunity. We ring the alarm bell for all Ethiopians: if this violation goes unanswered, no digital space is safe.

We call for urgent accountability. The Ethiopian Media Authority and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission must immediately investigate this raid, the data breach, and the surveillance tactics deployed. The silence from key government institutions only reinforces a disturbing pattern of impunity and erodes public trust.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=49966

#Taiwan condemns #Somalia travel ban

Taiwan has condemned Somalia for banning travellers with Taiwanese passports from entering or transiting through the East African country. The ban took effect on Wednesday following an order issued by Somali aviation authorities last week, Taiwan's foreign ministry said. The move comes as Taiwan, a self-ruled island claimed by #China, boosts ties with #Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia 34 years ago, but remains mostly unrecognised internationally.

Somalia's civil aviation authority issued a notice to airlines saying that Taiwanese passports "will no longer be valid for entry into or transit through the Federal Republic of Somalia" from 30 April, Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly protested Somalia's action made under the instigation of China to restrict the travel freedom and safety of Taiwanese nationals and has demanded that the Somali government immediately revoke the notice," the ministry said. The ministry urged Taiwanese against traveling to Somalia or Somaliland for their own safety before Somalia reverses the ban, Taiwanese media reported.

Neither Somaliland nor Somalia has commented. China said it "highly appreciates" the ban, calling it a "legitimate measure" that "reflects Somalia's firm adherence to the one-China principle", Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told journalists on Wednesday, according to the AFP news agency.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyqr1wgz4eo.amp

#NewsAlert: Council passes draft law to allow foreign nationals own ‘immovable property’ in #Ethiopia

A new draft proclamation on property ownership brings Ethiopia closer to a major policy shift after Council of Ministers passed a draft proclamation this morning that would, for the first time, allow foreign nationals to own immovable property, including land and buildings, in the country.

The Council said the bill, now forwarded to the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) for review and potential approval into law, is part of broader economic reforms aimed at “attracting foreign investment, boosting housing development, and creating jobs.” If passed, it would overturn a longstanding restriction that barred foreign ownership of property in Ethiopia.

This move follows Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s March 2024 announcement signaling intentions to liberalize real estate and retail markets. It also comes during the 50th anniversary of Ethiopia’s landmark 1974 land reform, which enshrined public land ownership into law.

While the government frames the draft law as a growth strategy, critics warn of historical and current political-economic factors that challenge the viability of land privatization in Ethiopia. This concern has intensified following the macroeconomic reforms launched by the ruling Prosperity Party in July 2024, which reflect the neoliberal orientation of property ownership policies.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=49969

#MayDay rallies spotlight workers’ struggles globally as #Ethiopia’s workers’ plight stands in stark contrast

Around the world, workers marched in solidarity this May Day, calling for fair wages, safe working conditions, and greater protections amid ongoing economic and political challenges. From Paris to Manila, and São Paulo to Johannesburg, labor unions rallied under banners of dignity and justice for the working class.

In Ethiopia, however, the gradual absence of a May Day rally is only matched by the growing strain on workers and the silencing of their collective voice.

This week the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), once the main organizer of the annual Workers’ Day rally, which is is no longer able to hold the event, issued a statement in connection with the day in which it warned of the deepening crisis facing laborers in the country.

CETU warned that workers “living paycheck to paycheck” are buckling under “rising living costs and low wages,” and urged the government to reconsider new salary deductions proposed in a draft bill to fund disaster risk management. The measure would mandate monthly deductions from both public and private sector wages adding pressure to already strained livelihoods.

In a separate but deeply alarming revelation aired on the local Sheger FM this week citing a recent study, women working in Ethiopia’s industrial parks have now turned to commercial sex work to survive, as factory wages fail to cover basic living expenses. AS

Pictures: AP

#Sudan: #RSF paramilitary fighters strike the #Khartoum presidential palace

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces shelled the presidential palace in Khartoum on Thursday, May 1, in their second bombardment of the capital in less than a week, an army source said. The paramilitaries fired long-range artillery at the palace from the al-Salha neighborhood across the White Nile, their closest position since the army recaptured Khartoum in March, the source told Agence France-Presse (AFP), on condition of anonymity. There were no immediate reports of any casualties from the shelling, which followed a similar bombardment of the army's General Command headquarters in Khartoum on Saturday.

The paramilitaries have been at war with the regular army since April 2023. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced 13 million more. Since its loss of Khartoum in April, the RSF has focused on consolidating its control of the vast western region of Darfur, where the besieged city of el-Fasher is the last major population center still in the army's hands.

In the past three weeks, at least 542 civilians have been confirmed killed in North Darfur, the United Nations said on Thursday. "The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds," UN human rights chief Volker Türk said in a statement The conflict has effectively split Sudan in two with the army holding the north, east and center, while the RSF controls nearly all of the west and swathes of the south.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/05/01/sudan-rsf-paramilitary-fighters-strike-the-khartoum-presidential-palace_6740808_4.html

#South_African police rescue 44 #Ethiopians in suspected trafficking case

South African police announced on Thursday they had rescued 44 Ethiopian nationals - 17 of them minors - who were allegedly being held captive in an affluent area of Johannesburg.

The group was discovered in a house in Sandton, one of the city’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, following a tip-off prompted by cries for help.

Officers on patrol responded and found the victims locked inside several rooms, according to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.

https://newscentral.africa/south-african-police-rescue-44-ethiopians-in-suspected-trafficking-case/

#Somali Speaker bans four cabinet ministers from Parliament over security concerns

Somali Lower House Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur (Aden Madoobe) has banned four federal cabinet ministers, who are also serving members of Parliament, from attending the upcoming sessions of the House of the People due to security concerns.

In a statement issued Thursday, Speaker Madoobe said the Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Legislation will recommend appropriate disciplinary measures against the ministers, in line with the House’s bylaws.

The move comes after the four lawmakers were seen engaging in Wednesday’s heated altercation on the floor of Parliament, during which they allegedly threatened opposition MPs.

https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/May/201366/somali_speaker_bans_four_cabinet_ministers_from_parliament_over_security_concerns.aspx

Op-ed: Assessment of #Somalia’s security landscape and prospects of counterterrorism efforts

This op-ed discusses in detail recent developments in Somalia including details showing how Al-Shabaab is gaining ground in central and southern Somalia, tightening its grip around Mogadishu and re-emerging in areas once declared liberated.

The Somali federal government is struggling to hold territory, allowing the group to position itself “as an alternative governing authority.”

This development leaves Somalia’s future at a crossroads in which three scenarios could define its short- to mid-term trajectory: a continued stalemate, a gradual recovery, or a dangerous slide toward “Afghanization.”

The most likely path is a prolonged war of attrition, where neither the government nor al-Shabaab gains a decisive upper hand. While Mogadishu may secure tactical wins, the group's resilience and ability to exploit weak state presence ensure its continued influence.

“Such a scenario seems more plausible than ever, particularly in light of current regional dynamics that embolden Somali jihadist movements. This should serve as a stark warning to all stakeholders – within and outside Somalia – of the urgent need to avert further deterioration in the country’s security situation.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=49972

Republican senators move to block #Somalia funding until allies pay 'fair share'

Three Republican senators are introducing a bill to block U.S. funding for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (#AUSSOM), unless the United Nations (#UN), African Union (#AU) and European allies increase what they described as their "fair" share of contributions. The proposal, called the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act of 2025, would “prohibit” the use of U.S. funds under the new U.N. Security Council Resolution 2719, according to information shared with Fox News Digital.

Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill is designed “to safeguard U.S. taxpayer funds and hold the U.N. and A.U. accountable in African peace operations.” He claimed, “At the U.N., our European partners are looking to skirt their financial commitments to AUSSOM in Somalia by switching to a new imbalanced funding mechanism that pushes the burden on Americans.” He added, “We can’t let that stand.”

“This bill will prohibit U.S. contributions to AUSSOM under this new funding scheme, until the A.U. and the U.N. can prove that they are using the funds they have responsibly, and prevent Americans from being locked into perpetually funding a broken system,” Risch stated. “For far too long, our allies have taken America for a ride, and profited off of America paying the lion’s share for global security. Europe must continue to shoulder this burden.”

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), also backing the bill along with Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), said, “The United States will not allow our tax dollars to be exploited by the U.N. while our partners refuse to pay their fair share, much less for a mission that fails to spend these dollars responsibly or transparently.” He added, “I am proud to join my colleagues on the AUSSOM Funding Restriction Act to ensure Americans’ interests are put first, and their tax dollars spent wisely.”

https://www.foxnews.com/world/republican-senators-move-block-somalia-funding-until-allies-pay-fair-share

#EU, 14 diplomatic missions in #Addis raise alarm over shrinking press freedom as #Ethiopia slides into 145th globally

On World Press Freedom Day, 14 diplomatic missions in Ethiopia, including those of the United Kingdom and France, expressed concern over the "significant pressure" on freedom of expression in the country, calling for journalists to be "protected" and press freedom "respected." They emphasized that ensuring the protection of journalists and respect for press freedom, "together with an open political and civic space," is "key to building free and prosperous societies." The European Union also affirmed that "without press freedom, the right to information and freedom to think critically are compromised," reinforcing its commitment to defending "free and independent journalism."

This statement comes as Ethiopia’s press freedom continues to decline, with the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (#RSF) ranking the country 145th globally, placing it in the "very serious" category for the first time. Ethiopia now joins other nations facing a "worrying decline" in press freedom, including Uganda and Rwanda.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=49978

#Sudanese paramilitary #RSF kills 19 after taking city of al-Nahud: Sources

Fighting in the Sudanese city of al-Nahud, a strategic city in West Kordofan state acting as a gateway to the #Darfur region, has killed 19 people and left 37 wounded, according to sources who spoke to Al Jazeera, in the latest eruption of violence in the brutal two-year civil war. Local sources told Al Jazeera that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which declared on Telegram that it had “liberated” al-Nahud from the Sudanese Armed Forces (#SAF) on Thursday, had rampaged through neighborhoods, looting the market, houses, and cars. Al Jazeera understands that a doctor, a journalist, and a police officer were among those killed as paramilitaries overcame the city, held by the SAF since the start of the conflict that has left tens of thousands dead and uprooted more than 12 million.

Control over al-Nahud has become a priority for both the RSF and SAF as fighting between the two intensifies in Darfur, where 542 people have been killed in the past three weeks alone, according to the United Nations on Thursday. The RSF has been doubling down on Darfur in recent weeks after losing the national capital, Khartoum, last month, in a bid to seize regional capital el-Fasher, the last major population center still in the army’s hands, located 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of al-Nahud.

Recent violence in el-Fasher and the nearby refugee camps of Zamzam and Abu Shouk has caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee 60 km (37 miles) across the desert to the town of Tawila. As it continues its campaign in Darfur, the paramilitary group has also been inching closer to Khartoum again, shelling the presidential palace in its second attack on the capital in less than a week.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2025/5/2/sudanese-paramilitaries-kill-19-after-taking-city-of-al-nahud-sources

#Harar: The #Ethiopian bookbinder connecting a city’s people with its forgotten past

When Abdallah Ali Sherif was growing up in eastern Ethiopia, his parents never spoke about the history of his city.

“When I asked my parents about our history, they told me we didn’t have one,” the kind-faced 75-year-old recalls as he reclines on a thin mattress on the floor of his home in Harar’s old walled city. Shelves of dusty cassettes line the walls and old newspapers lie scattered about the floor.

The father of five and grandfather of 17 pauses to pluck some khat leaves to chew as he explains: “Our parents were afraid to teach us about our culture or our history.”
For centuries, Harar, with its colorful clay houses and narrow cobblestone streets, was a center of Islamic scholarship and home to a thriving manuscript culture producing Qurans, legal texts and prayer books in Arabic and Ajami, a modified Arabic script used to write Indigenous African languages.

Nestled atop a plateau that overlooks deserts and savannas linking the coastal lowlands and central highlands of Ethiopia and Somalia, in the 16th century, Harar became the capital of the Adal Sultanate, which at its height controlled large parts of modern-day Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea.
https://aje.io/it8qk0