#Op_ed: From Fragmentation to Order: How new traffic regulation creates safer, unified roads

Last year, the Council of Ministers ratified Traffic Regulation No. 557/2024, with the objective of strengthening oversight of road transport and enhancing traffic safety. The regulation has attracted widespread public attention due to the substantial fines it imposes, ranging from 500 to 1,500 birr for first-time offenses and up to 20,000 birr for serious vehicle-related violations. However, Yonas Minalu, the author of this op-ed, contends that the regulation’s scope extends beyond fines, aiming for "a meaningful and strategic transformation in how #Ethiopia manages its road network." He further notes, “By harmonizing traffic penalties nationwide, it aims to reduce fatalities and improve enforcement consistency.”

The author explains that previously, a fragmented mix of federal and regional laws created significant confusion: "a minor infraction in one region could constitute a serious offense in another,” thereby weakening deterrence, overburdening law enforcement, and undermining public trust. He also highlights that this fragmented system hampered commerce, as logistics companies “faced divergent regional codes and operational risks.”

According to the article, the new regulation establishes "a single, transparent, and predictable schedule of penalties" applicable across all regions, standardizing consequences for high-risk behaviors such as speeding, drunk driving, and non-compliance. “This clarity,” Yonas emphasizes, not only enhances safety but also "facilitates economic integration" by removing regulatory barriers, lowering costs for businesses, and improving the investment climate.

With Regulation No. 557/2024, the author underscores that Ethiopia has chosen "unity over fragmentation, predictability over chaos, and safety over complacency," thereby establishing the conditions for smoother and more efficient road transport. Nevertheless, he cautions that realizing its full potential requires sustained policy continuity, robust institutional support, nationwide training, technological upgrades, and ongoing public education.

https://addisstandard.com/from-fragmentation-to-order-how-new-traffic-regulation-creates-safer-unified-roads/

#Somali president calls for peaceful dialogue and respect for sovereignty among #Red_Sea nations

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has urged Red Sea-bordering nations to pursue dialogue and cooperation, stressing the need to uphold sovereignty and prevent conflict.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, President Mohamud said that while #Ethiopia is landlocked, it has “legitimate means” to access the Red Sea and must do so in line with “universally accepted principles.”

He said there are rumors of possible military confrontation between Ethiopia and neighboring states, affirming that Somalia “will not support any act of aggression or violation of territorial integrity.”

Underscoring the Red Sea’s strategic importance for regional security and trade, President Mohamud called on all countries to resolve disputes peacefully. “No nation should infringe on another’s sovereignty,” he said, reaffirming Somalia’s commitment to regional stability.

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#Dubai ports giant pushes for #Somaliland recognition

Dubai’s global ports and logistics company DP World wants Somaliland — where it operates a port — to be recognized as an independent nation. It joins a growing chorus of #US politicians, including Senator Ted Cruz, who back the move, but no country has yet been willing to bestow recognition on the breakaway republic.

DP World’s Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said he had no reservations about investing in the port in 2016, eyeing growth not just in the territory but also in the larger, landlocked market of Ethiopia. After investing more than $400 million to expand the facility to handle the largest cargo vessels, the company is also building a manufacturing and trade zone nearby in #Berbera.

Speaking alongside Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi at The Africa Debate in Dubai, bin Sulayem praised the security, stability.....

https://www.semafor.com/article/10/08/2025/dubai-ports-giant-pushes-for-somaliland-recognition

#Ethiopia reiterates concern over inadequate international support for hosting South Sudanese refugees

Ethiopia has expressed concern over declining international support for its refugee response, despite continuing to host new arrivals from #South_Sudan and other neighboring countries.

Speaking at the 76th Session of the #UNHCR Executive Committee in Geneva, Teyiba Hassen, Director General of the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), said Ethiopia is currently hosting South Sudanese emergency new arrivals “without adequate support from the international community.”

She warned that the growing influx is putting additional pressure on already limited resources, public services, and local infrastructure. “The past decade has been extremely challenging for my country,” Teyiba said, noting that Ethiopia remains one of the world’s largest refugee-hosting nations.

She added that 2025 has been “the most difficult year” yet, as international financing for humanitarian....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52812

#Somalia hails #GERD as driver of regional development, stresses balanced relations with #Egypt

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has praised Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a key driver of economic growth and energy integration in the Horn of Africa. Speaking to Al Arabiya after attending the dam’s inauguration in Addis Abeba, he described the 5,000-megawatt project as a “successful achievement” by the Ethiopian people and government.

“The dam will positively impact Ethiopia’s economy and the wider region,” Mohamud said, highlighting energy as “the most important prerequisite for any development.” He noted that Ethiopia already exports power to Kenya, Sudan, and Djibouti, underlining the project’s growing regional significance.

Addressing how his presence at the inauguration of the dam would affect Somalia's relationship with Egypt, he said that Somalia values its strategic partnership with Egypt while maintaining strong ties with Ethiopia.

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#United_Nations to cut 25% of its global peacekeeping force in response to #US funding strains

The United Nations will begin slashing its peacekeeping force and operations, forcing thousands of soldiers in the next several months to evacuate far-flung global hotspots as a result of the latest U.S. funding cuts to the world body, a senior U.N. official said.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting, briefed reporters Wednesday on the 25% reduction in peacekeepers worldwide as the United States, the largest U.N. donor, makes changes to align with President Donald Trump’s “America First” vision.

Roughly 13,000 to 14,000 military and police personnel out of more than 50,000 peacekeepers deployed across nine global missions will be sent back to their home countries. The U.N. support office in Somalia will also be affected.

HTTPS://APNEWS.COM/ARTICLE/TRUMP-UNITED-NATIONS-CUTS-REVIEW-154E7B2756A08140C6FCECD6C38CE0F5

‘First phase’ of ceasefire deal to end war in #Gaza agreed by #Israel and #Hamas

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial phase of a “peace plan” in Gaza, pausing hostilities in the devastated territory and bringing the best hope yet of a definitive end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed ten of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests across the world.

Donald Trump announced the agreement on his Truth Social network saying all of the hostages held in Gaza would be released soon and Israel would withdraw troops to an agreed upon line as the first step to a “Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace”.

Hamas said on Thursday it had agreed the US president’s proposal and confirmed the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

There was celebration among Palestinians in Gaza and among Israelis, though few anywhere needed reminding that two previous deals have failed to end the war.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/09/first-phase-of-ceasefire-deal-to-end-war-in-gaza-agreed-by-israel-and-hamas

News: #TPLF rejects claims of alliance with #Eritrea, calls cross-border ties a step toward peace

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has written to #United_Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, rejecting allegations made by #Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and calling for renewed international engagement to ensure the full implementation of the Pretoria peace deal.

In the letter dated 8 October 2025, the TPLF said it was compelled to respond to what it described as “inaccurate and politically motivated allegations” contained in a 2 October letter from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The party accused the federal government of attempting to “divert attention from its continued and serious violations” of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), signed in Pretoria in November 2022.

“It is deeply regrettable that, instead of focusing on the genuine implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, .......

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52824

#EU pledges €105 million to strengthen #Ethiopia’s trade, investment, and migration initiatives

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie during the Global Gateway Forum, marking the 50th anniversary of EU-Ethiopia relations.

The leaders discussed advancing the partnership through a strong trade and investment agenda, economic reforms, and support for peace, stability, and migration management.

The EU announced a €105 million package: €90 million to support land governance, nature preservation, migration reintegration, and women’s economic empowerment; and €15 million to strengthen Ethiopia’s capacities to support refugees and returning migrants.

Under the Global Gateway framework, the partnership will also focus on clean energy, digital transformation, sustainable agri-food value chains, and health system strengthening, aiming to promote sustainable development and economic resilience across Ethiopia.

#Commentary: Taxing the People, Leaking the Budget: #Ethiopia’s fiscal reform demands more from citizens, overlooks inefficient spending

Recently, the Ethiopian government has pursued an ambitious #fiscal_reform agenda aimed at increasing domestic revenue by expanding the scope of excise duties and Value Added Tax (VAT) to include a wider range of goods and services. Among these measures is the plan to impose both a 15% excise tax and a 15% VAT on fuel during the current fiscal year—a move that is expected to disproportionately burden low- and fixed-income households. While the government intensifies its efforts to extract more revenue from citizens already grappling with declining living standards, Samson Hailu, the author of this commentary, argues that “it gives little priority to addressing systemic inefficiencies and wasteful spending within its own budget.

To support his argument, the author cites successive audit reports from the Office of the Federal Auditor General, which expose alarming levels of fiscal mismanagement, including “14.5 billion birr in unutilized budgets, 32.9 billion birr in uncollected revenues,” and widespread irregularities across federal institutions. Samson further contends that the recurring absence of officials from parliamentary sessions where these audit findings are presented “signals a deeper governance problem—one that erodes public trust and hampers the effectiveness of fiscal management.”

Despite Ethiopia’s annual budget having quadrupled over the past five years to 1.93 trillion birr, the article underscores that entrenched inefficiencies and pervasive waste risk transforming this budget expansion into “a vehicle for greater fiscal leakage.” It also highlights Ethiopia’s low budget transparency score of just 38 out of 100, persistent procurement bottlenecks, and the high share of recurrent spending on non-essential items—such as procurement of luxury vehicles, costly overseas travel, and lavish spending on conferences, workshops, and meetings—that “erodes public trust in the government’s commitment to prudent and accountable stewardship of national resources.”

The author emphasizes that Ethiopia’s fiscal reform “stands at a crossroads,” issuing a cautionary note that without decisive action to curb recurrent waste, tighten expenditure controls, and institutionalize transparency and accountability throughout public financial management, “the government risks placing the weight of fiscal reform solely on citizens.” He states, “A government that demands greater sacrifices from its people must demonstrate an equal commitment to eliminating waste and restoring financial integrity.”

https://addisstandard.com/taxing-the-people-leaking-the-budget-ethiopias-fiscal-reform-demands-more-from-citizens-overlooks-inefficient-spending/

#NBE Governor Eyob Tekalign calls for stronger financial oversight

Addis Abeba – The newly appointed Governor of the National Bank of #Ethiopia (NBE), Eyob Tekalign Tolina (PhD), has underscored the need to strengthen financial movement oversight across the country. He made the remark during his first consultative meeting with leaders of Ethiopia’s financial institutions this week.

According to the NBE, the meeting gathered CEOs and presidents of all financial institutions under its supervision, including banks, insurance firms, microfinance institutions, payment service providers, pension funds, and capital goods leasing companies, to deliberate on common priorities aimed at strengthening the financial sector.

Eyob emphasized that strong financial monitoring must be anchored in effective engagement with key economic actors and backed by robust governance.

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02aftFYpakhm3PQNoeSC73uJuhmq1wjwDgK8MuzVurdFF14ekhBYUZqkawZFfRySMvl

#Eritrea dismisses #Ethiopia’s war allegation as “provocative sabre-rattling”

Eritrea dismissed Ethiopia’s accusation that it is preparing to launch a war as “provocative sabre-rattling,” amid growing tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors, AFP reported today Thursday 9 October 2025

“The intense propaganda campaign aimed at whipping up irredentist ambitions has been accompanied by provocative sabre-rattling,” Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel told AFP. He denounced Addis Ababa’s letter to the United Nations as a “deceitful charade.”

Earlier this month, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres accusing Asmara of colluding with a hardline faction of the TPLF to “wage war.” The letter, signed by the foreign minister, alleged that Eritrea and the TPLF were “funding, mobilising and directing armed groups” in the Amhara region, where federal forces have fought rebels for several years.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52828

AI-generated propaganda fuels #Ethiopia–Eritrea tensions

Global voices reports that Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used to amplify nationalist sentiment and political messaging amid growing tensions between Ethiopia and #Eritrea, according to analyses of social media activity following the inauguration of the #GERD on 9 September 2025.

Alongside celebratory posts about the dam, AI-generated videos and images circulated online promoting the idea that Ethiopia should reclaim access to Eritrea’s #Assab port. One viral video, shared on TikTok and X and endorsed by former State Minister Birhanu M. Lenjiso, featured a fictional concert at the GERD with a voiceover declaring, “From the Nile to Assab, one people, one heart.”

Experts warn these AI-generated materials amount to “synthetic propaganda” aimed at normalizing expansionist rhetoric.

https://globalvoices.org/2025/10/09/escaping-the-geographic-prison-ai-and-visual-propaganda-in-ethiopias-red-sea-discourse/

#Tigray Interim President ‘plotted, organized’ army ‘coup d'état’ against Getachew’s admin; time to ‘recall him now’ - Lt. Gen. Tsadikan

Lt. Gen. Tsadikan Gebretensae, former deputy president of Tigray’s interim administration, has accused the region’s current interim president, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, of “plotting and organizing” an army “coup d’état” against the previous leadership led by Getachew Reda.

Tsadikan, who says he is now working to “change Tigray’s politics,” alleged that Tadesse ‘sabotaged” the Pretoria Agreement–mandated interim government under Getachew’s leadership, and “squandered an undeserved opportunity” since he has come to the regional presidency.

Tsadikan further claimed that Tadesse not only failed to deliver on the 8-points mandate given to him by the federal government, but ignored violation related to alleged contact by members of his administration with Eritrean forces, a claim led by the federal government.


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#Sudanese prime minister visits #Eritrea to discuss cooperation, regional stability

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris arrived in the Eritrean capital on Thursday for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and discussing regional security.

This is the fourth foreign trip for Idris since he took office on May 19. Upon arrival, he and his delegation, which includes the foreign and information ministers, were greeted by Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh.

Idris met with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki on Thursday evening, SUNA reported. The state news agency said the leaders discussed joint cooperation and committed to strengthening ties to serve the interests of both nations and ensure regional stability.

Idris thanked Afwerki for Eritrea’s support for Sudan amid its current challenges. Afwerki, in turn, reiterated his country’s firm support for Sudan’s stability and unity, SUNA said.

https://sudantribune.com/article/305864

#UNICEF reports over 100,000 children treated for severe wasting across #Ethiopia in two months

More than 100,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were admitted for treatment across Ethiopia between July and August 2025, UNICEF said in its latest Humanitarian Situation Report.

According to the report, a total of 104,891 children with severe wasting received therapeutic feeding during the two-month period.

The program recorded a 94% cure rate, a 2% default rate, and a mortality rate of 0.2%, highlighting what UNICEF described as “strong results and high-quality interventions” amid growing humanitarian needs.

The #Oromia Region recorded the highest regional caseload, with 39,284 children under five treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through outpatient and stabilization centers.

In the #Amhara Region, 16,423 children were admitted for SAM treatment. While the overall cure rate reached 88.6%, UNICEF noted that 548 children...........

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52833

#Tesfalem_Waldyes named among seven recipients of 2025 IPI-IMS World Press Freedom Hero Award

The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) have named #Ethiopian journalist Tesfalem Waldyes among seven distinguished recipients of the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero award, recognizing his exceptional courage and resilience in defending media freedom.

Tesfalem, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Ethiopia Insider, was honored for his unwavering commitment to independent journalism, despite facing repeated harassment and imprisonment.

According to the IPI His career has been marked by multiple arbitrary arrests and detentions, including more than a year in custody in connection with the “Zone 9 bloggers” case. After years in exile, Tesfalem returned to Ethiopia to continue his work amid an increasingly restrictive environment for free media.

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02mSTVF7Ywtc98QWMHVfxVh6arhnzNjNECPUYp4uTz6pGGmbefN2p2hTMCN9eucxDBl