#Somalia, #EU strengthen military cooperation in meeting between defence officials
The Minister of Defence of the Federal Government of Somalia, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, accompanied by the Chief of the Somali National Army, General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, today held a meeting with the Chair of the European Union Military Committee, General Seán Clancy, who is visiting Somalia.
The meeting focused on commending and strengthening military cooperation between Somalia and the European Union, particularly in the areas of troop training, the continuation of various forms of support, and the enhancement of national defence capabilities and #AUSSOM.
The meeting was attended by the European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Ms Francesca Di Mauro, along with other senior officials from both sides.
https://sonna.so/en/somalia-eu-strengthen-military-cooperation-in-meeting-between-defence-officials/
The Minister of Defence of the Federal Government of Somalia, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, accompanied by the Chief of the Somali National Army, General Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, today held a meeting with the Chair of the European Union Military Committee, General Seán Clancy, who is visiting Somalia.
The meeting focused on commending and strengthening military cooperation between Somalia and the European Union, particularly in the areas of troop training, the continuation of various forms of support, and the enhancement of national defence capabilities and #AUSSOM.
The meeting was attended by the European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Ms Francesca Di Mauro, along with other senior officials from both sides.
https://sonna.so/en/somalia-eu-strengthen-military-cooperation-in-meeting-between-defence-officials/
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#Policy_Brief: #Ethiopia’s Digital Leap Paradox: Rapid progress, fragile foundations
As Ethiopia advances Digital Ethiopia 2030, Abebe Diro argues that rapid digitization masks a deeper fragility: it is outpacing institutional capacity, infrastructure, and public trust—what he calls the “Ethiopian paradox.”
Abebe notes that “a digital state is not an app or a strategy document,” but “a web of trust, legitimacy, accountability, and reliable infrastructure.”
The author underscores that sustainable success depends on “sequencing, not speed,” cautioning that without this approach, the outcome will be “more platforms but less legitimacy,” transforming digital ambition into fragility.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54791
As Ethiopia advances Digital Ethiopia 2030, Abebe Diro argues that rapid digitization masks a deeper fragility: it is outpacing institutional capacity, infrastructure, and public trust—what he calls the “Ethiopian paradox.”
Abebe notes that “a digital state is not an app or a strategy document,” but “a web of trust, legitimacy, accountability, and reliable infrastructure.”
The author underscores that sustainable success depends on “sequencing, not speed,” cautioning that without this approach, the outcome will be “more platforms but less legitimacy,” transforming digital ambition into fragility.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54791
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#Dutch court sentences #Eritrea human trafficker to 20 years
A Dutch court on Tuesday sentenced an Eritrean man to 20 years in prison for operating a human trafficking ring in which migrants were tortured and their families extorted.
The court said the man, identified as Amanuel #Walid, had treated migrants "without any humanity" as they were transported from Eritrea to #Europe via #Libya.
"Your only aim was to earn as much money as possible from people who were looking for a better future," presiding judge Rene Melaard told Walid.
The court in the northern Dutch city of #Zwolle heard how gang members tortured victims while on the phone to their families in the Netherlands, demanding payments to make the abuse stop. Only once family members had transferred money were the victims put on rickety boats for the perilous trip across the Mediterranean Sea. Many drowned in the crossing.
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0e9YqCpyLghyEouyA911hTeebioBPf4mTh4fVeBBchU9xr53T5qZURCXU8qW5ZQisl
A Dutch court on Tuesday sentenced an Eritrean man to 20 years in prison for operating a human trafficking ring in which migrants were tortured and their families extorted.
The court said the man, identified as Amanuel #Walid, had treated migrants "without any humanity" as they were transported from Eritrea to #Europe via #Libya.
"Your only aim was to earn as much money as possible from people who were looking for a better future," presiding judge Rene Melaard told Walid.
The court in the northern Dutch city of #Zwolle heard how gang members tortured victims while on the phone to their families in the Netherlands, demanding payments to make the abuse stop. Only once family members had transferred money were the victims put on rickety boats for the perilous trip across the Mediterranean Sea. Many drowned in the crossing.
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0e9YqCpyLghyEouyA911hTeebioBPf4mTh4fVeBBchU9xr53T5qZURCXU8qW5ZQisl
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News: #Ethiopian Federal Police arrest 22 suspects over alleged trafficking of 1,800 people, extortion of over Birr 2.16 billion
The Ethiopian Federal Police say they have arrested 22 suspects and are pursuing six others in absentia over allegations of large-scale human #trafficking that reportedly involved 1,800 people and generated more than Birr 2.16 billion through extortion.
In a statement issued on 27 January 2026, the police said the suspects are accused of operating an organized criminal syndicate that allegedly trafficked Ethiopians out of the country under false promises of facilitating travel to Europe via Libya. Authorities said the operation resulted in two deaths, while 15 individuals remain unaccounted for.
According to the statement, victims were recruited through brokers operating across multiple regions of Ethiopia .....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02cNTGw3xq2ouCyV3Ht2ieXUBrNoYZZmVHmLy6nV1p7id8997y21i4ghtwiyXwfUdxl
The Ethiopian Federal Police say they have arrested 22 suspects and are pursuing six others in absentia over allegations of large-scale human #trafficking that reportedly involved 1,800 people and generated more than Birr 2.16 billion through extortion.
In a statement issued on 27 January 2026, the police said the suspects are accused of operating an organized criminal syndicate that allegedly trafficked Ethiopians out of the country under false promises of facilitating travel to Europe via Libya. Authorities said the operation resulted in two deaths, while 15 individuals remain unaccounted for.
According to the statement, victims were recruited through brokers operating across multiple regions of Ethiopia .....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02cNTGw3xq2ouCyV3Ht2ieXUBrNoYZZmVHmLy6nV1p7id8997y21i4ghtwiyXwfUdxl
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News: Italy to hold second #Italia–#Africa Summit in #Addis_Abeba on 13 February
Italy will hold the second Italia–Africa Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government in Addis Abeba on 13 February, the Italian government has announced.
The summit, announced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her beginning-of-year press conference, will be held in Africa for the first time and will take place alongside the African Union (AU) Summit, on the eve of the AU Heads of State and Government Assembly.
As part of the programme, Prime Minister Meloni, who is expected to attend as a guest of honour, will deliver an address to the opening plenary session of the AU Assembly scheduled for the morning of 14 February.
According to the announcement, the summit is aimed at strengthening Italy’s strategic relations with African countries and consolidating the objectives of the....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0c3zri2K5aBTgtge3x1FMXy4dG4x9q2LkEHX11H2GhapPwPPnU38JCs8N9WPiAJ1Gl
Italy will hold the second Italia–Africa Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government in Addis Abeba on 13 February, the Italian government has announced.
The summit, announced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her beginning-of-year press conference, will be held in Africa for the first time and will take place alongside the African Union (AU) Summit, on the eve of the AU Heads of State and Government Assembly.
As part of the programme, Prime Minister Meloni, who is expected to attend as a guest of honour, will deliver an address to the opening plenary session of the AU Assembly scheduled for the morning of 14 February.
According to the announcement, the summit is aimed at strengthening Italy’s strategic relations with African countries and consolidating the objectives of the....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0c3zri2K5aBTgtge3x1FMXy4dG4x9q2LkEHX11H2GhapPwPPnU38JCs8N9WPiAJ1Gl
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News: #Ethiopia’s capital markets regulator reviewing 66 listing applications
Addis Abeba — Ethiopia’s Capital Markets Authority (#ECMA) is currently reviewing 66 prospectuses submitted by companies seeking approval to issue securities, Bloomberg reported.
According to the report, more than 45 of the applications come from the financial services sector, including banks, insurance companies, and microfinance institutions. Hana Tehelku, Director General of ECMA, was quoted as saying that the regulator aims to bring a wide range of existing companies into the capital market through listing by introduction.
“We have thousands of existing companies & we want to bring them to the market by listing by introduction,” Hana told Bloomberg.
She said the authority has so far approved two applications for issuance, with two additional approvals expected within the week. Going forward, ECMA plans...
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02ietUnb9rqjBS1LosPUqUDPXhBAauZ7E8et86h92BzvQuohCnBdagR5dXadZhJ5yDl
Addis Abeba — Ethiopia’s Capital Markets Authority (#ECMA) is currently reviewing 66 prospectuses submitted by companies seeking approval to issue securities, Bloomberg reported.
According to the report, more than 45 of the applications come from the financial services sector, including banks, insurance companies, and microfinance institutions. Hana Tehelku, Director General of ECMA, was quoted as saying that the regulator aims to bring a wide range of existing companies into the capital market through listing by introduction.
“We have thousands of existing companies & we want to bring them to the market by listing by introduction,” Hana told Bloomberg.
She said the authority has so far approved two applications for issuance, with two additional approvals expected within the week. Going forward, ECMA plans...
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02ietUnb9rqjBS1LosPUqUDPXhBAauZ7E8et86h92BzvQuohCnBdagR5dXadZhJ5yDl
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#Op_ed: Deluge, Defense, and Demolition: Themes in PM Abiy’s #AAU lecture
In this op-ed, Ezekiel Gebissa argues that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s first address to Addis Ababa University, delivered during its 75th anniversary, fell far short of expectations for a vision grounded in “intellectual freedom and scholarly rigor.” Instead, he writes, “It became a political performance that redefined intellectual life in state-friendly terms, insulated executive power from criticism, and practically diminished the country’s most important academic institution.”
By narrowly defining intellectuals as rational, non-dissenting problem-solvers, the prime minister implicitly cast critics as “anti-intellectual.” This, Ezekiel contends, was “not a philosophical clarification; it was a normative directive” privileging compliance over critique.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54802
In this op-ed, Ezekiel Gebissa argues that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s first address to Addis Ababa University, delivered during its 75th anniversary, fell far short of expectations for a vision grounded in “intellectual freedom and scholarly rigor.” Instead, he writes, “It became a political performance that redefined intellectual life in state-friendly terms, insulated executive power from criticism, and practically diminished the country’s most important academic institution.”
By narrowly defining intellectuals as rational, non-dissenting problem-solvers, the prime minister implicitly cast critics as “anti-intellectual.” This, Ezekiel contends, was “not a philosophical clarification; it was a normative directive” privileging compliance over critique.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54802
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News: Over Birr 2.2 million seized in #Shire as authorities warn against illegal lending amid cash shortages
Authorities in Shire Endaselassie city in the Northwestern Zone of #Tigray have seized more than Birr 2.2 million allegedly used for illegal money lending, amid warnings that usury is increasingly exploiting communities affected by persistent cash shortages.
In a press statement issued on 27 January 2026, Deputy Inspector Gebre-Anenya Teklay, representing the Shire Endaselassie city police commander, said an individual was apprehended on 25 January in Kebele 04 after being caught in the act of distributing cash while charging interest rates of between three and five percent. The suspect was taken into custody along with the seized cash, he said.
Deputy Inspector Gebre-Anenya described usury as a criminal offense under the law and a practice condemned by religious and cultural....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02A5LPW2jGC4PugMchMnHxqydpS4jq3qgXECZFWnKqUoK3hgrzwgWMFMuHWgQ9tTe4l
Authorities in Shire Endaselassie city in the Northwestern Zone of #Tigray have seized more than Birr 2.2 million allegedly used for illegal money lending, amid warnings that usury is increasingly exploiting communities affected by persistent cash shortages.
In a press statement issued on 27 January 2026, Deputy Inspector Gebre-Anenya Teklay, representing the Shire Endaselassie city police commander, said an individual was apprehended on 25 January in Kebele 04 after being caught in the act of distributing cash while charging interest rates of between three and five percent. The suspect was taken into custody along with the seized cash, he said.
Deputy Inspector Gebre-Anenya described usury as a criminal offense under the law and a practice condemned by religious and cultural....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02A5LPW2jGC4PugMchMnHxqydpS4jq3qgXECZFWnKqUoK3hgrzwgWMFMuHWgQ9tTe4l
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News: #PM_Abiy receives #US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau, AFRICOM commander as #Ethiopia, US agree to deepen security cooperation
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he received a courtesy visit from US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher T. Landau and the Commander of the United States Africa Command (#AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, describing the engagement as warm and constructive and underscoring the importance of continued collaboration and mutual respect between the two countries.
The visit comes as part of a regional tour by Deputy Secretary Landau that includes #Egypt, #Ethiopia, #Kenya, and #Djibouti, scheduled to run from 24 January to 1 February.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos held talks with Landau in Addis Abeba, with discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional issues of mutual interest.
During their stay, Landau and General Anderson also visited the International Aviation ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54807
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he received a courtesy visit from US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher T. Landau and the Commander of the United States Africa Command (#AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, describing the engagement as warm and constructive and underscoring the importance of continued collaboration and mutual respect between the two countries.
The visit comes as part of a regional tour by Deputy Secretary Landau that includes #Egypt, #Ethiopia, #Kenya, and #Djibouti, scheduled to run from 24 January to 1 February.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos held talks with Landau in Addis Abeba, with discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional issues of mutual interest.
During their stay, Landau and General Anderson also visited the International Aviation ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54807
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News: #Somali political groups announce formation of new alliance, declare end to engagement with federal government
Three Somali political organizations have announced the formation of a new alliance, the Somali People’s Alliance for Self-Determination (#SPAS), declaring what they described as the end of restraint and engagement with Ethiopia’s federal government.
In a joint declaration issued on 18 January in Jigjiga, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Congress for Somali Cause (CSC), and the Somali Regional Democratic Alliance (SRDA) said the alliance aims to serve as a unified political, diplomatic, and civic platform to “consolidate Somali political agency” and advance what they called the collective rights and political future of the Somali people.
The groups argued that the incorporation of Somali territories into the Ethiopian state occurred during the colonial-era “Scramble for Africa” and subsequent historical processes that, they...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54800
Three Somali political organizations have announced the formation of a new alliance, the Somali People’s Alliance for Self-Determination (#SPAS), declaring what they described as the end of restraint and engagement with Ethiopia’s federal government.
In a joint declaration issued on 18 January in Jigjiga, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Congress for Somali Cause (CSC), and the Somali Regional Democratic Alliance (SRDA) said the alliance aims to serve as a unified political, diplomatic, and civic platform to “consolidate Somali political agency” and advance what they called the collective rights and political future of the Somali people.
The groups argued that the incorporation of Somali territories into the Ethiopian state occurred during the colonial-era “Scramble for Africa” and subsequent historical processes that, they...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54800
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News: Labour Minister holds talks with #Saudi Chargé d’Affaires amid continued repatriation of #Ethiopian migrants
Ethiopia’s Minister of Labour and Skills Development, #Muferihat Kamil, said she held discussions with Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Mugbil, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of #Saudi_Arabia in Addis Abeba, focusing on legal labour migration amid the continued repatriation of Ethiopian migrants from the Kingdom.
In a statement shared on social media, the minister said the two sides reviewed activities undertaken so far and what she described as encouraging results following the legal labour migration agreement signed between the governments of Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.
Muferihat added that the discussions concluded with a shared understanding to strengthen cooperation in the next phase of implementation, with a focus on deploying skilled & semi....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0N33CYbhrdGhB4YM8yosgSihikTti9xEcJcmdXGGbYp6yHAbyMxG6femTNehhKhk7l
Ethiopia’s Minister of Labour and Skills Development, #Muferihat Kamil, said she held discussions with Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Mugbil, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of #Saudi_Arabia in Addis Abeba, focusing on legal labour migration amid the continued repatriation of Ethiopian migrants from the Kingdom.
In a statement shared on social media, the minister said the two sides reviewed activities undertaken so far and what she described as encouraging results following the legal labour migration agreement signed between the governments of Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.
Muferihat added that the discussions concluded with a shared understanding to strengthen cooperation in the next phase of implementation, with a focus on deploying skilled & semi....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0N33CYbhrdGhB4YM8yosgSihikTti9xEcJcmdXGGbYp6yHAbyMxG6femTNehhKhk7l
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#Ethiopia: Health professionals across #Oromia push for standardized overtime pay to reflect recent salary adjustments
Health professionals across Oromia are demanding that the regional government calculate overtime payments based on recent salary adjustments, in line with federal directives aimed at standardizing compensation nationwide.
A health professional at #Bale_Robe General Hospital told Addis Standard that their demand is simply for the implementation of the national guideline governing duty calculations based on the revised salary structure.
“We were told there is no budget to cover the new salary adjustment. We received overtime payments based on the revised salary for two months, after which the payments stopped,” the health professional said.
Responding to complaints raised by healthcare workers, Professor Netsanet Workneh, Head of the Oromia Health Bureau, told Addis Standard that the decision was taken at the regional level and declined to….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54819
Health professionals across Oromia are demanding that the regional government calculate overtime payments based on recent salary adjustments, in line with federal directives aimed at standardizing compensation nationwide.
A health professional at #Bale_Robe General Hospital told Addis Standard that their demand is simply for the implementation of the national guideline governing duty calculations based on the revised salary structure.
“We were told there is no budget to cover the new salary adjustment. We received overtime payments based on the revised salary for two months, after which the payments stopped,” the health professional said.
Responding to complaints raised by healthcare workers, Professor Netsanet Workneh, Head of the Oromia Health Bureau, told Addis Standard that the decision was taken at the regional level and declined to….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54819
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Chaos erupts in #Somalia’s parliament over proposed constitutional amendments
Scuffles and shouting broke out Wednesday during a joint session of Somalia’s parliament after the speaker attempted to advance proposed constitutional amendments that opposition lawmakers said would extend parliament’s mandate, forcing the session’s suspension.
Somalia has been under a provisional constitution since 2012, and repeated efforts to finalize it have exposed deep divisions over governance and power-sharing between the federal government and regional states.
A similar attempt to extend political mandates under former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed triggered a constitutional crisis in 2021 and led to armed confrontations in #Mogadishu, pushing the country to the brink of wider unrest.
Wednesday’s disorder erupted when the parliament speaker announced an unexpected agenda to amend five chapters of the....
https://apnews.com/article/somalia-parliament-constitution-mandate-scuffle-f4c7d7e3826b64ca11ce819bcbd77399
Scuffles and shouting broke out Wednesday during a joint session of Somalia’s parliament after the speaker attempted to advance proposed constitutional amendments that opposition lawmakers said would extend parliament’s mandate, forcing the session’s suspension.
Somalia has been under a provisional constitution since 2012, and repeated efforts to finalize it have exposed deep divisions over governance and power-sharing between the federal government and regional states.
A similar attempt to extend political mandates under former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed triggered a constitutional crisis in 2021 and led to armed confrontations in #Mogadishu, pushing the country to the brink of wider unrest.
Wednesday’s disorder erupted when the parliament speaker announced an unexpected agenda to amend five chapters of the....
https://apnews.com/article/somalia-parliament-constitution-mandate-scuffle-f4c7d7e3826b64ca11ce819bcbd77399
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U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher T. Landau and AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson visited the International Aviation Expo organized by the Ethiopian Air Force, where General Anderson highlighted shared security threats in the Horn of Africa and underscored the importance of regional cooperation during remarks marking the Air Force’s 90th anniversary.
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News: Report says #Russia delivers Yak-130 aircraft, Orion drone to #Ethiopia
Russia has reportedly delivered up to six #Yak-130 advanced trainer and light combat aircraft, along with at least one #Orion combat drone, to Ethiopia, according to #Ukrainian defense publication Defense Express.
The publication reported on 27 January that the aircraft and drone were observed during Aviation Expo 2026 held at Bishoftu Air Base. Images from the event reportedly show Yak-130 jets bearing tail numbers 2301 through 2306.
The Yak-130, manufactured by Russia’s defense industry, is primarily designed for pilot training but is also capable of conducting light combat missions.
According to Defense Express, the appearance of the Orion unmanned aerial vehicle (#UAV) in Ethiopia marks the first publicly confirmed export of the Russian-made system.
The Orion is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (#MALE) drone that has been used intermittently by Russian forces in the war…..
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54815
Russia has reportedly delivered up to six #Yak-130 advanced trainer and light combat aircraft, along with at least one #Orion combat drone, to Ethiopia, according to #Ukrainian defense publication Defense Express.
The publication reported on 27 January that the aircraft and drone were observed during Aviation Expo 2026 held at Bishoftu Air Base. Images from the event reportedly show Yak-130 jets bearing tail numbers 2301 through 2306.
The Yak-130, manufactured by Russia’s defense industry, is primarily designed for pilot training but is also capable of conducting light combat missions.
According to Defense Express, the appearance of the Orion unmanned aerial vehicle (#UAV) in Ethiopia marks the first publicly confirmed export of the Russian-made system.
The Orion is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (#MALE) drone that has been used intermittently by Russian forces in the war…..
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54815
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#US to resume WFP food distribution in #Somalia after government accepts responsibility
The United States said it will resume World Food Programme (#WFP) food distribution in Somalia after a three-week suspension, following the federal government’s acknowledgment of responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the #MogadishuPort.
In a statement, the U.S. Foreign Assistance office said Washington recognizes Somalia’s acceptance of responsibility for the incident affecting WFP operations, including U.S.-funded assistance.
The statement added that while food distribution will resume, the United States will continue reviewing its broader assistance posture in Somalia, reiterating the #Trump administration’s “zero tolerance policy for waste, theft, or diversion of U.S. resources.”
On 7 January 2026, the U.S. State Department announced the suspension of .....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0Q3nSmFWw42rSEJq8aicepDQhZZe2CNUjUvTQ6YZEc8AaaLvcPQURG37LdN3tLCkml
The United States said it will resume World Food Programme (#WFP) food distribution in Somalia after a three-week suspension, following the federal government’s acknowledgment of responsibility for actions that disrupted humanitarian operations at the #MogadishuPort.
In a statement, the U.S. Foreign Assistance office said Washington recognizes Somalia’s acceptance of responsibility for the incident affecting WFP operations, including U.S.-funded assistance.
The statement added that while food distribution will resume, the United States will continue reviewing its broader assistance posture in Somalia, reiterating the #Trump administration’s “zero tolerance policy for waste, theft, or diversion of U.S. resources.”
On 7 January 2026, the U.S. State Department announced the suspension of .....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0Q3nSmFWw42rSEJq8aicepDQhZZe2CNUjUvTQ6YZEc8AaaLvcPQURG37LdN3tLCkml
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News: #Ethiopian Airlines suspends flights to #Tigray airports
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights scheduled for today to airports in Tigray, including #Mekelle, #Axum, #Shire, and #Humera, according to information obtained by Addis Standard.
An Addis Standard reporter on the ground in Mekelle confirmed airport staff were informed to take a break for the day. However, Ethiopian Airlines’ ticket office in Mekelle continued providing services, excluding flights scheduled for today.
“The system is working. We are giving services. We sell tickets scheduled from tomorrow onwards. We reschedule flights and provide other services,” one ticket office staff member told Addis Standard. “But none of us know why flights were suspended today.”
Passengers who had booked flights for today received text messages notifying them of the cancellation. One message sent to customers read:
“Your flight ET0102 from ADD on 29 Jan 2026, at 08:10 AM has been cancelled….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54824
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights scheduled for today to airports in Tigray, including #Mekelle, #Axum, #Shire, and #Humera, according to information obtained by Addis Standard.
An Addis Standard reporter on the ground in Mekelle confirmed airport staff were informed to take a break for the day. However, Ethiopian Airlines’ ticket office in Mekelle continued providing services, excluding flights scheduled for today.
“The system is working. We are giving services. We sell tickets scheduled from tomorrow onwards. We reschedule flights and provide other services,” one ticket office staff member told Addis Standard. “But none of us know why flights were suspended today.”
Passengers who had booked flights for today received text messages notifying them of the cancellation. One message sent to customers read:
“Your flight ET0102 from ADD on 29 Jan 2026, at 08:10 AM has been cancelled….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54824
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#Opinion: From Horn of #Africa to Middle East: #Somaliland as strategic connector in Red Sea corridor
In this opinion piece, Abdifataah Hussien Osman argues that the Horn of Africa and the #Middle_East have merged into a single strategic theater, with the #Red_Sea acting as a “connective corridor” for trade and security.
Strategically located along the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland has turned geography into “strategic reliability through effective territorial control,” while the Port of #Berbera has grown into a key regional hub. For the #United_States and Middle Eastern states, Somaliland offers a pragmatic, low-risk partner, as “Somaliland’s consistency becomes a strategic resource in itself.”
Recognition, the author concludes, is not symbolism but “strategic alignment,” because “stability is not declared by recognition; it is proven by practice.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54829
In this opinion piece, Abdifataah Hussien Osman argues that the Horn of Africa and the #Middle_East have merged into a single strategic theater, with the #Red_Sea acting as a “connective corridor” for trade and security.
Strategically located along the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland has turned geography into “strategic reliability through effective territorial control,” while the Port of #Berbera has grown into a key regional hub. For the #United_States and Middle Eastern states, Somaliland offers a pragmatic, low-risk partner, as “Somaliland’s consistency becomes a strategic resource in itself.”
Recognition, the author concludes, is not symbolism but “strategic alignment,” because “stability is not declared by recognition; it is proven by practice.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54829
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News: Senior #US. officials, CRS visit emergency aid operations in #Tigray amid worsening humanitarian crisis
Senior officials and experts from the U.S. government and Catholic Relief Services (#CRS) conducted an observation visit to emergency food assistance operations in Tigray as humanitarian conditions in the region continue to deteriorate amid funding cuts and rising malnutrition.
The delegation, led by Dr. Carlos Juanju, Head of the U.S. Office of Humanitarian Assistance, visited #Wukro and #Hawzen towns on 27 January 2026. According to local media, the team observed emergency food distribution systems implemented by the Relief Society of Tigray (#REST) and held discussions with aid beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries told local broadcasters that while the assistance has been critical to their survival, significant gaps remain in both the quantity and diversity of food aid. Internally....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0c1vZJeFZcVe7WD9RGWxL2jSosNL3Cxm7MFfhGavSEf8ue95v16Pa3YR7uj7pc1m1l
Senior officials and experts from the U.S. government and Catholic Relief Services (#CRS) conducted an observation visit to emergency food assistance operations in Tigray as humanitarian conditions in the region continue to deteriorate amid funding cuts and rising malnutrition.
The delegation, led by Dr. Carlos Juanju, Head of the U.S. Office of Humanitarian Assistance, visited #Wukro and #Hawzen towns on 27 January 2026. According to local media, the team observed emergency food distribution systems implemented by the Relief Society of Tigray (#REST) and held discussions with aid beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries told local broadcasters that while the assistance has been critical to their survival, significant gaps remain in both the quantity and diversity of food aid. Internally....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0c1vZJeFZcVe7WD9RGWxL2jSosNL3Cxm7MFfhGavSEf8ue95v16Pa3YR7uj7pc1m1l
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