#Opinion: From Sea Access to Global Alliances: #Ethiopia’s foreign policy ambitions, missteps

Ethiopia is experiencing “a period of significant political and diplomatic unraveling” driven by “strategic miscalculations and concerning instances of brinkmanship,” writes Batseba Kassahun.

At the center is the “controversial” MoU with #Somaliland. While Ethiopia’s pursuit of port access is “a strategic imperative,” Batseba contends it was “executed without evident diplomatic forethought,” citing #Somalia’s condemnation of the deal as “a violation of international law.”

Relations with #Eritrea are also “reaching an alarming stage,” after an Ethiopian defense official called Red Sea access, particularly the #Assab Port, “a historical right” and “a matter of national survival.” Batseba concludes that “Ethiopia’s foreign policy today reveals patterns more than errors,” increasingly favoring “force over dialogue” and “symbolism over substance.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53003

#Japan elects first female leader, a hawk who promotes ‘Japan First’

Sanae Takaichi, a firebrand nationalist and security hawk, was chosen as prime minister of Japan on Tuesday, becoming the nation’s first female head of government during an unusually rocky time in Japanese politics.

Takaichi, 64, succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, who said last month that he would step down after bruising electoral losses that cost the long-running Liberal Democratic Party its coalition majority in both parliamentary chambers.

The parliament voted Tuesday afternoon, confirming Takaichi as the new prime minister. She will now head to a ceremony with the emperor, then her term will begin.

Takaichi will hit the ground running with high-profile diplomatic visits, including a meeting with President Donald #Trump early next week. Japanese prime ministers usually arrange a trip to Washington as early as possible in their tenure,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/20/japan-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi/

#Tigray Forces apologize for road blockades during recent protest, admit actions were improper despite valid grievances

The Tigray Forces unit known as “Army 22” has apologized to the public for blocking roads & disrupting transportation during last week’s protest in #Mekelle, acknowledging that while their grievances were legitimate, the manner of their demonstration was inappropriate.

During a meeting held on Sunday at the Tigray Martyrs Monument Hall, corps and division leaders, along with members of the TDF, reviewed the circumstances surrounding the protest. Participants agreed that although the soldiers’ concerns were justified, the actions taken endangered both the army & the civilian population.

In a formal statement, members of Army 22 expressed regret for the disruption and harassment caused during the protest, pledging that such incidents would not recur.

The latest protests by members of the Tigray forces demanding better pay & benefits lasted for 5 days....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52999

Foreign Minister Lavrov says #Russia ready to respect #Ethiopia’s interests in military cooperation

Russian FM #Sergey_Lavrov has said that Moscow remains ready to respect Ethiopia’s priorities in the area of military cooperation, while reaffirming a broader commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in energy, trade, & diplomacy.

Lavrov made the remarks following talks with Ethiopian Foreign Minister #Gedion Timotheos, during which the two sides reviewed the progress of their intergovernmental working group on military-technical cooperation, Russian news agency TASS reported today.

He highlighted that discussions also focused on expanding cooperation in economic & scientific sectors.

Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Terekhin said Moscow is prepared to assist Addis Aberba in upgrading its Soviet-era power plants to enhance energy sovereignty.

Terekhin also noted that Ethiopia is among the leading candidates to host the Russia–Africa Summit in 2026

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53033

📺 Addis Standard Op-Ed Video: Layers of Exclusion: How war intensifies discrimination in #Tigray; women with disabilities hit hardest.


The war in Tigray didn’t just destroy infrastructure — it deepened existing social inequalities. Women and girls with disabilities are now facing multiple forms of exclusion that threaten their survival and dignity.


✍️ By Batseba Kassahun, Human Rights Advocate 📧 Contact: batsebak@gmail.com


Watch the video:
https://youtu.be/O-K3k8R0-Yg?si=ZnLRyFjQF3_lSy3R

Read the full article:
https://addisstandard.com/?p=52035

News: Attack in #West_Shewa kills over 25, including children; residents blame #Fano

Residents report that more than 25 people, including women and children, were killed in an attack in Nono district, West Shewa Zone of the #Oromia region, on 19 October, 2025. Locals have attributed the violence to Fano militants, who have confirmed their presence in the area.

Ibsa Jamal (name changed for security reasons), a resident of Nono district, told Addis Standard that the attackers came from the #Gurage_Zone in the Central Ethiopia region and carried out the raid in Allo Dinki village of the district.

Ibsa said the attack took place on 19 October, describing it as “indiscriminate.” According to him, the militants “crossed from Abishgee district in Gurage Zone on the night of 19 October, moving from house to house and killing elders, children, and pregnant women without sparing anyone.”

The residents told Addis Standard that the area had previously been peaceful and ......

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53039

Around 350 families trek 50 km to escape #Sudan's El Fasher siege: UN

Approximately 350 families walked around 50 km for four days, fleeing the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher, and arrived in the town of Tawila in a dire condition, UN humanitarians said Tuesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that mostly women, children and older people, some injured along the way, joined on Sunday and Monday the more than 600,000 people displaced from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, and surrounding areas now harboring in Tawila.

OCHA said that dozens of young men who fled with the group are still missing, and escalating violence deepens the already devastating humanitarian crisis in Sudan's North Darfur, as the United Nations and its partners continue to scale up their response efforts where access allows.

"The UN and its humanitarian partners have provided food, water and.....

https://english.news.cn/africa/20251022/94d86024f6c64d44a4f5874889a0b6fa/c.html

Addis Standard Op-Ed Video
Layers of Exclusion: How war intensifies discrimination in Tigray; women with disabilities hit hardest.

The war in Tigray deepened long-standing inequalities — leaving women with disabilities at the margins of recovery and justice.

🎧 By Batseba Kassahun, Human Rights Advocate

📺 Watch here:
https://youtu.be/O-K3k8R0-Yg?si=ZnLRyFjQF3_lSy3R

Ahmed Shide engages #U.S., #Gulf, and #Israeli Counterparts on expanding investment and development tie

#Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, held a series of high-level meetings with global partners on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings, focusing on strengthening investment, trade, and development cooperation.

During discussions with senior officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of State, explored ways to deepen U.S. support for Ethiopia’s reform programs through multilateral development institutions, including the World Bank and the IMF.

In a separate engagement, Minister Ahmed met with Bill Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Bayer AG, to discuss expanding investment in Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical sector.

Minister Ahmed also held bilateral meetings with Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Minister of Finance.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53047

#Egypt on final plans ahead of troops deployment to #Somalia amid tension with #Ethiopia

The government of Egypt is finalising plans for the deployment of troops to Somalia, following a meeting between the country's Foreign Affairs minister, Badr Abdelatty, with his Somali counterpart, Abdelsalam Abdi Ali.

At the sidelines of the fifth Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, the two leaders discussed the ongoing arrangements for deployment of the troops under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

Badr reaffirmed Cairo's commitment to supporting efforts to strengthen security and stability in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa. Egypt's request for approval of the deployment of troops to Somalia was ratified a few months ago.

The Egyptian minister expressed hopes that the deployment of the troops would be finalised soon, moments after its delegation visited Somalia, where Forward Operating Bases were identified ahead of the arrival of the troops.

https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/egypt-on-final-plans-ahead-of-troops-deployment-to-somalia-amid-tension-with-ethiopia

Chasing the Dollar: Black market rate surge tests #Ethiopia’s FX reform

Amid a sharp surge in the parallel market, where the dollar trades near 180 birr, the National Bank of Ethiopia (#NBE) warned it is ready to take “irreparable” and “large-scale” action against hawala operators accused of “illegal activities.” In a video statement, Governor Eyob Tekalign urged those involved to stop such practices and exercise “the necessary precautions.”

This marks the fourth warning since August 2025, following a recent foreign exchange auction conducted by the NBE, during which the weighted average rate reached 148 birr per US dollar.

A recent commentary by Addis Standard notes that while enforcement may temporarily reduce illegal trades, it fails to tackle “the structural imbalances” fueling the foreign currency crisis. It contends that “lasting stability requires deeper reform, not enforcement alone.”

Follow the link to read the commentary.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=52629

#Op_ed: Between Fatigue and Foresight: #Somalia’s leader grapples with holding fragile nation intact amid shifting Horn diplomacy

In this op-ed, Mohamud Abdi Ahmed argues that Somalia is once again “at the center of a regional drama,” as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud grapples with diplomatic setbacks, domestic unrest, and waning authority. He states that “Once hailed as a reconciler and scholar-statesman,” the president now “appears weary,” burdened by “unfulfilled promises and the exhaustion of governing a fragmented republic.”

Ahmed notes that Mohamud’s recent visits to #Addis_Abeba and #Nairobi reveal “the fading light of his tenure,” while failed reconciliation with #Jubaland’s Ahmed Madobe highlights “the diminishing authority of #Mogadishu.”

As his presidency approaches its “twilight,” the author underscores that Hassan Sheikh faces a defining choice: “cling to office in fatigue or depart in foresight.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53042

#Rosatom to build #nuclear power plant in #Ethiopia based on modern VVER-1200 reactor — #Russian ambassador

A nuclear power plant (NPP) will be built on the basis of the modern and safe VVER-1200 technology in Ethiopia with Rosatom’s participation, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeniy Terekhin told TASS.

"A new practical step towards the project's implementation was the signing of an action plan between the Rosatom state corporation and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation in Moscow on September 25, 2025," he said, adding that "this refers to the construction of a power plant on the basis of the modern and safe VVER-1200 technology."

Cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy could become the "flagship area of economic and technological partnership" between Russia and Ethiopia, the diplomat added.

https://tass.com/politics/2033089

Report cautions Horn of Africa faces growing danger of #Ethiopia–#Eritrea war

In an analysis published this week, Foreign Policy magazine cautioned that the risk of a renewed war between Ethiopia and Eritrea is increasing amid shifting political dynamics in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

The U.S.-based publication, known for its in-depth global affairs coverage, warned that recent developments could “erode the current balance of uncertainty” that has thus far prevented open conflict between the two neighbors.

“For more than a year, another catastrophic war between Eritrea and Ethiopia has appeared imminent,” the magazine wrote, noting that “seasoned experts and political figures have repeatedly raised the alarm, citing the seemingly irreconcilable differences between the leaders of the two states, escalating rhetoric, and military mobilizations as the most ominous signs.”

According to the analysis, while mutual uncertainty has helped maintain a tenuous peace.......

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53051

#Gold prices soar despite record production; expert links surge to broader economic pressures

Gold prices in #Ethiopia have surged more than fourfold in less than two years, despite the nation recording its highest-ever level of gold production, according to data from the National Bank of Ethiopia (#NBE). An expert says the trend of soaring prices alongside higher production reflects deeper economic pressures.

NBE figures show that the price of one gram of 24-karat gold rose from 3,901 birr on 01 January 2024 to 20,607 birr on 20 October 2025, marking one of the sharpest domestic increases in recent years.

At the same time, Ethiopia’s gold production expanded dramatically. from 3.9 tons in the 2023/24 fiscal year to 38.87 tons in 2024/25, nearly a tenfold increase.

Economist Atilaw Alemu (PhD) of #Addis_Abeba University told Addis Standard that the seemingly paradoxical trend of soaring prices alongside higher production reflects deeper economic pressures.

Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=53056