Nearly two-thirds of #South_Sudanese children in child labour: Report

Nearly two-thirds of South Sudanese children are engaged in the worst forms of child labour, with rates reaching as high as 90 percent in the hardest-hit regions, according to a government study released with the charity Save the Children.

The National Child Labour Study, published on Friday, surveyed more than 418 households across seven states and found that 64 percent of children aged between five and 17 are trapped in forced labour, sexual exploitation, theft and conflict.

The findings reveal a crisis far more complex than poverty alone, intensified by relentless flooding, the spread of disease, and conflict that have uprooted families and left millions on the brink of hunger.

In Kapoeta South, near the border with Uganda, nine out of 10 children work in gold mining, pastoralism and farming instead of attending school,...

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/24/nearly-two-thirds-of-south-sudanese-children-in-child-labour-report

News: Nearly 300 human traffickers caught in three months, #Tigray police say

#Mekelle - Police in Tigray say nearly 300 human traffickers have been arrested over the past three months, as authorities intensify efforts to curb illegal migration that continues to endanger the lives of young people.

Commander of the Southeastern Tigray Zone Police, Abraha Werede, told Tigray Television that trafficking networks are adopting new tactics to evade detection.

“There are cars under control — traffickers as well. The worst we encountered this month was children as young as 12 being taken on their way to school,” he said. “They used to use minibuses to traffic them, but these days they use trucks and different techniques.”

On October 22, the Tigray Police Commission announced that more than 75 youths, including minors, had been intercepted while attempting to migrate illegally...

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid035eREHQsq623wt6ZZWBw1UZwFQHQPb7rtgSjCpSKyoCrWUDJNLU4ohYJd9JSXAg6Wl

News: Deutsche Welle protests suspension of its correspondents in #Ethiopia, urges authorities to lift the ban immediately

Deutsche Welle (#DW) has protested the suspension of its nine correspondents in Ethiopia by the Ethiopian Media Authority (#EMA). The authority informed DW’s Amharic language service in a letter dated 23 October 2025 that the journalistic work of its correspondents in Ethiopia has been “temporarily” suspended.

“The ban on reporting from Ethiopia deeply concerns us,” said DW Director General Barbara Massing. “Following the discontinuation of Voice of America’s language services, DW is the international media outlet with the widest reach in Ethiopia, offering an Amharic language program. Millions of Ethiopians continue to rely on us for free and independent information. We fully expect our colleagues to resume their work immediately and without restriction.”

According to DW, the EMA’s letter did not specify concrete accusations but....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53120

News: #WFP says insecurity, limited access continue to disrupt humanitarian operations in #Amhara Region

Humanitarian operations across #Ethiopia’s Amhara Region continue to face significant logistical challenges due to ongoing insecurity and access constraints, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in its latest Amhara Regional Operation Overview.

The WFP noted persistent insecurity, particularly in #Metema and parts of #Eastern_Amhara caused considerable delays in the transportation of relief supplies. The report also highlighted a shortage of commercial trucking services in several areas, further hampering timely delivery of assistance to communities in need.

WFP emphasized that despite these constraints, the Logistics Cluster continues to provide common services, including transport, storage, and coordination, to ensure that humanitarian partners can sustain their operations.....

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02HxsY4VFbut9m2cdhhzQXsNiN6Q6mXSH5UkHuoKDu14DZ82o5BpHWCg9QnWCNju61l

#Ethiopia Launches “Journey to Root” Initiative to Reconnect Adoptees Abroad with Ancestral Heritage

The Ethiopian government has unveiled a new initiative titled “Journey to Root” to help Ethiopian-born adoptees living abroad reconnect with their ancestral homeland and strengthen their cultural identity, the Ministry of Tourism announced.

In a press briefing held on 24 October 2025, the ministry said the program is designed to enable adoptees to “learn, appreciate, and experience the country’s diverse culture, natural beauty, & historical heritage,” while fostering deeper emotional and cultural ties with Ethiopia.

Endegena Abebe (PhD), State Minister of Tourism, said during the briefing that the initiative draws inspiration from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s earlier call for people of Ethiopian descent around the world to visit their homeland. That call led to the “Back to Your Origins”

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02LsGrM145TdDMmow3BousjtGqq7TzEixZpCcVSK9Toqhg9Kw3cUoVAEo5NetRRQ7Jl

#Ethiopia: #USGS reports magnitude 4.9 #earthquake near #Debre_Birhan, #Amhara Region

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck near Debre Birhan in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region on Sunday morning, 26 October, 2025, at around 8:24 a.m. local time.

According to the USGS, the quake occurred approximately 39 kilometres east of Debre Birhan.

The incident follows a series of tremors that have affected northern Ethiopia in recent months. Earlier this month, repeated earthquakes were recorded across parts of the Tigray Region on the evening of Saturday, 11 October, 2025. The USGS said one of the quakes, with its epicenter in Afar about 45 kilometres from Mekelle, measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, while another, roughly 58 kilometres from the city, measured 5.3. The shocks were reportedly felt across several areas of Tigray, including Mekelle.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1JT4n2XohN/

#Sudan:#Rebel group claims capture of key #city in Sudan

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) says it has taken control of the western city of el-Fasher, marking a turning point in the civil war.

The group said in a statement on social media that it had seized el-Fasher "from the grip of mercenaries and militias allied with the terrorist army".


The loss would be a huge blow to the Sudanese army as el-Fasher is its last remaining foothold in the Darfur region, leaving the RSF effectively in control of the area. The army has yet to comment.

It comes after the rebel group announced the capture of the army's 6th Division Headquarters, saying that it had destroyed "huge military vehicles" and taken military equipment.

Local pro-army fighters, the Popular Resistance, accused the RSF of running a "media disinformation campaign" to undermine the "high morale of the forces".

The RSF has surrounded el-Fasher for the last 18 months, with army positions and civilians under frequent bombardment. An estimated 300,000 people have been trapped by the fighting.

In August, satellite imagery showed a series of extensive earthen walls being constructed around the city, aimed at trapping people inside.

The RSF have been steadily advancing towards the 6th Infantry Division command - widely regarded as the army headquarters in the city - from several directions for weeks.

There are still some parts of el-Fasher under the control of the army and allied armed groups - but those are not expected to hold out for long now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78z025dze4o

#Saudi’s RSGT finalizes 30-year concession to operate Djibouti’s Tadjourah Port, key gateway for #Ethiopian cargo

Saudi Arabia’s #Red_Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) to operate and develop the Port of #Tadjourah, a key facility serving Ethiopia’s northern trade routes.

The agreement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in March between the two sides to strengthen cooperation in the maritime and logistics sectors, maritime-executive.com reported.

The agreement coincides with plans to expand multi-modal transport links between Ethiopia and northern Djibouti. Last week, the Ethiopian Railway Corporation announced a $1.58 billion project to construct a standard-gauge railway connecting northern Ethiopia to the Red Sea ports of Tadjourah, #Assab, and #Massawa.

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02gP25Diejq8hsRcCZxsLU88EGZVY3Lfz1Brr2Z1QFM1wPjryqNcKNqeR5xRBFq4u2l

Houthis rebels release #Ethiopian - #Yemeni model after five years in prison

Yemen's #Houthis rebels have released model Entisar al-Hammadi after holding her in prison for nearly five years, her lawyer and a security source told AFP on Sunday.

Born to an Ethiopian mother and Yemeni father, Hammadi, 23, was arrested in February 2021 in Sanaa while heading to a photo shoot.

She was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of prostitution, drug abuse and fornication -- charges described by her lawyer and rights groups as false and targeting women's liberties.

"Entisar al-Hammadi was released yesterday evening and is now in her home," her lawyer, Khaled al-Kamal, told AFP.

"Entisar suffered from various illnesses and her condition had deteriorated as a result of the injustice she suffered," he added. Hammadi had attempted to take her own life in 2021, rights groups said at the time.

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0npjk5htmz3Gyf963gNv4CoM6VnRGvfv8PFXayL1sLq8FpUQZk6S6Svy5vXpj91CGl

#Djibouti parliament lifts presidential age limit to open way for Guelleh

Djibouti's parliament voted unanimously to lift a presidential age limit on Sunday, opening the way for leader Ismail Omar Guelleh to run for a sixth term.

Guelleh, known as IOG, has held power since 1999 in the tiny Horn of Africa nation, a major port that hosts military bases for the #United_States, #France, and #China.

Djibouti's constitution says the head of state cannot run for office after 75, which prevented Guelleh, 77, from running in the next election in April 2026.

But an amendment to remove the age limit was backed by all 65 parliamentarians present on Sunday, speaker Dileita Mohamed Dileita told AFP. The president can choose to approve the decision or call a referendum.

https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02qYsauwrGqGEPzgEnYwQJiqcsaVWEWic4Tq9WHvXznyaKM3RzUYse335MK1nad94Bl

“How can the interests of 200 million be blocked for two million people?” – Army Chief questions fairness of #Ethiopia’s landlocked status

Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, questioned the fairness of Ethiopia’s landlocked status, stressing the country’s need for peace, development, and sea access.

Speaking last Saturday at the 118th Ethiopian Defense Force Day at the Ethiopian Naval Force Training School in #Bishoftu, He said, Ethiopia's population is now 130 million. "In the next 25 years, it will reach 200 million. How can the interests of 200 million people be blocked for the benefit of a community of two million? It is not fair. It is not in line with international law, and it is not logical.”

He accused unnamed historical adversaries of depriving Ethiopia of maritime access while acknowledging past internal mistakes. The army chief pledged to strengthen the defense forces, accelerate development, and secure sea access for the country.

#Op_ed: #Washington’s Strategic Bet: #Somaliland’s ascent in U.S. foreign policy

Three weeks ago, the #US Senate passed S.2296, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which includes a provision directing the Department of Defense to establish a security partnership with Somaliland. Although the bill still requires full congressional approval and the President’s signature before becoming law, Adam Daud Ahmed, the author of this op-ed, argues that the Senate’s decision is more than symbolic, as “it serves as a declaration that the United States will hereafter prioritize rewarding stability, democratic governance, and demonstrable regional value.”

He emphasizes that, for Somaliland, this marks a historic validation—“a significant step toward global recognition.”

The author further contends that although the bill does not confer formal sovereignty, designating Somaliland as a “security partner” extends “a form of de facto legitimacy.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53122

#Ethiopian migrants help transform #Johannesburg’s inner city into a thriving trade hub

An article published on The Conversation explores how Ethiopian migrants have played a defining role in reshaping parts of Johannesburg’s inner city into a vibrant commercial hub that attracts traders from across southern Africa.

The article discusses insights from the new book The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City by urban planner and researcher Tanya Zack, which traces how Ethiopian migrants built a cross-border trading post in the city’s downtown area.

Since its founding in 1886, Johannesburg has been a city of migrants—both internal and international. But the city, South Africa’s economic capital, has undergone major changes since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994, including an increase in migration from other African nations.

https://theconversation.com/ethiopian-quarter-how-migrants-have-shaped-a-thriving-shopping-district-in-south-africas-city-of-gold-266494

The exodus out of #Tigray

Young people are leaving en masse – and don’t know if they’ll ever come back.

On the morning of 3 August 2025, a boat carrying at least 200 migrants sank in the Gulf of Aden, off the Yemeni coast. At least 90 people died, all of them from Tigray in northern Ethiopia. A short video online showed their bodies as they washed up ashore. From their clothes and jewellery, I could tell they came from Raya, the region of southern Tigray where I grew up.

Like those young people, I know firsthand the pain of leaving your homeland because you are too afraid to stay. It has been nearly six months since I left Tigray, which had already experienced a devastating war between 2020 & 2022, in which hundreds of thousands of people died.

I fought in that war.

Now, as tensions between #Ethiopia and #Eritrea escalate, different factions within Tigray are again making preparations for war. Another conflict seems inevitable. I felt I had no...

https://continent.substack.com/p/the-exodus-out-of-tigray

#Russia has no information about any country intending to leave #BRICS — diplomat

Moscow has not received information from any BRICS member country about its intention to leave the association, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS in an interview on the sidelines of the Made in Russia forum.

Commenting on media reports that some BRICS countries may leave the association due to threats from the US to impose tariffs, the diplomat said: "The Russian side has not received any information about leaving BRICS or about the intention to leave its ranks from any member of the association, although US tariffs are already in effect for many of them."

The spokeswoman recalled that "BRICS is a voluntary intergovernmental association" and that Moscow always respects its partners' sovereign foreign policies.

Currently, BRICS is made up of ten countries: Russia, #Brazil, #Egypt, #India, #Indonesia, #Iran, #China, #UAE, #Ethiopia, and #South_Africa.

https://tass.com/politics/2035633

News: #TPLF accuses federal government of “political deception” over return of Western Tigray IDPs as officials hold talks in #Humera

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has accused the federal government of “political deception” and of failing to implement key provisions of the #Pretoria Agreement regarding the return of internally displaced persons (#IDPs) from #Western_Tigray.

The accusation came after federal and regional officials held discussions in Humera on plans to facilitate the return of displaced people “in a manner that promotes peace and public unity,” according to a 26 October 2025 report by local media.

Participants in the meeting reportedly included Mohammed Idris, Minister of Peace; Getachew Reda, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for East African Affairs and local officials.

On August 2025 Addis Standard reported that President Tadesse Werede has warned that attempts to facilitate the return of IDPs to Western Tigray without resolving....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53129

#Kenya: #US and #China interest in Kenya’s $62 billion #rare earth site sparks local concern

African nations are increasingly at the centre of a new mineral Cold War. Kenya’s Mrima Hill, with rare earth deposits valued at over $62 billion, has become a key focus of US and China competition for critical minerals.

Kenya has become the latest focal point in the global contest for critical minerals, with Mrima Hill on the country’s southern coast identified as one of Africa’s richest sources of rare earth elements used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced electronics.

The 157-hectare forest in Kwale County is estimated to contain mineral deposits worth more than US$62 billion, according to earlier studies by Cortec Mining Kenya, a subsidiary of UK- and Canada-based Pacific Wildcat Resources.

The site holds niobium and other valuable minerals used in steelmaking, aerospace engineering, and clean-tech production.

The discovery has drawn the attention of global powers seeking to diversify their critical mineral supply chains. In June, Marc Dillard, then interim U.S. ambassador to Kenya, visited Mrima Hill as part of Washington’s diplomatic effort to secure sustainable access to Africa’s rare earths.

South China Morning Post reported that Chinese nationals have also attempted to visit the area in recent months but were turned away by local guards.

Adding to the contest, an Australian consortium of mining firms, RareX and Iluka Resources, has announced plans to explore the site, while land speculators and investors are reportedly flocking to nearby coastal villages.

https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/us-and-china-interest-in-kenyas-dollar62-billion-rare-earth-site-sparks-local-concern/mrfbsjy

After fleeing violence, refugees in #Ethiopia struggle with hunger

Funding cuts are forcing #WFP to sharply shrink assistance to hundreds of thousands asylum seekers

Nyibol and her four children crossed from their native #South_Sudan into Ethiopia last April, feeling weak from hunger. It had been days since their last meal.

“My children are small; the journey was difficult for them,” recalls Nyibol, describing struggling with sickness during a two-week long journey. “They kept asking me ‘Mama, where are we going?’ I told them, ‘to a safe place,’” she adds. (As a refugee, Nyibol’s last name is being withheld for her protection).

While Nyibol’s family has escaped unrest in their homeland, they face new hardship in Ethiopia’s western #Gambella Region, where they found shelter. A severe funding shortfall is forcing the World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian agencies to sharply shrink food and other assistance....

https://www.wfp.org/stories/after-fleeing-violence-refugees-ethiopia-struggle-hunger

Salsay Weyane #Tigray accuses federal government of failing to prioritize #IDPs, allowing perpetrators of "crimes against humanity" to exercise power

The Tigray opposition party, Salsay Weyane Tigray, has accused the federal government of neglecting its responsibility to ensure the safe and voluntary return of Tigrayan internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees while allowing individuals implicated in crimes against humanity to continue exercising authority in Western Tigray.

In a statement released yesterday, the party said the government has “failed to implement steps necessary to dismantle the illegal administrative structures installed in occupied Western Tigray” and instead “pursued actions that serve to exacerbate existing conflicts.”

Salsay Weyane Tigray asserted that those currently in control of the area “are widely known for orchestrating the industrial-scale killing and displacement of millions of Tigrayans” and “stand implicated as perpetrators....

https://addisstandard.com/?p=53141