#Ethiopia: Prominent #Amharic traditional music artist #Semahegn_Belew passes away after illness
Addis Abeba – Prominent Ethiopian vocalist Semahegn Belew, popularly known as “Seme Balageru,” has passed away after battling an illness, family members confirmed to state media.
Semahegn was a celebrated figure in Ethiopia’s music scene, known for his lively Amharic traditional songs, cultural performances, and energetic stage presence.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, he earned widespread recognition for preserving and popularizing Amharic traditional music through his distinctive vocal style and deep connection to his cultural heritage.
His work, marked by upbeat rhythms made him a beloved artist among audiences across the country.
Citing information obtained from his family, state media reported that Semahegn passed away today while undergoing medical treatment.
Further details regarding the cause of death and funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
Semahegn is survived by his
Addis Abeba – Prominent Ethiopian vocalist Semahegn Belew, popularly known as “Seme Balageru,” has passed away after battling an illness, family members confirmed to state media.
Semahegn was a celebrated figure in Ethiopia’s music scene, known for his lively Amharic traditional songs, cultural performances, and energetic stage presence.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, he earned widespread recognition for preserving and popularizing Amharic traditional music through his distinctive vocal style and deep connection to his cultural heritage.
His work, marked by upbeat rhythms made him a beloved artist among audiences across the country.
Citing information obtained from his family, state media reported that Semahegn passed away today while undergoing medical treatment.
Further details regarding the cause of death and funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
Semahegn is survived by his
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News: #WHO chief #Tedros_Adhanom condemns xenophobic violence in #South_Africa, reports #Ethiopian deaths
In a statement shared on social media on 14 June, Tedros described the violence as "profoundly heartbreaking" and said hundreds of people had marched on Parliament while thousands of families had been displaced.
According to Tedros, the victims include at least five Ethiopians who were killed in the attacks, as well as five #Mozambican nationals who died in #Mossel_Bay.
"Thousands more are now fleeing for their lives," he said.
Tedros said the violence represented a betrayal of the solidarity shown by #African countries during South Africa's struggle against #apartheid, recalling Ethiopia's support for former South African President #Nelson_Mandela.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57687
In a statement shared on social media on 14 June, Tedros described the violence as "profoundly heartbreaking" and said hundreds of people had marched on Parliament while thousands of families had been displaced.
According to Tedros, the victims include at least five Ethiopians who were killed in the attacks, as well as five #Mozambican nationals who died in #Mossel_Bay.
"Thousands more are now fleeing for their lives," he said.
Tedros said the violence represented a betrayal of the solidarity shown by #African countries during South Africa's struggle against #apartheid, recalling Ethiopia's support for former South African President #Nelson_Mandela.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57687
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#Commentary: Silent Warfare, Systemic Deprivation: #Tigray’s post-war strangulation under three competing forces
Hagos Mezgebe Atsbaha argues that post-war Tigray has not transitioned into peace but instead remains subject to what he describes as “silent warfare", sustained through legal, economic, political, and social coercion by three competing forces: the federal government, #Eritrean forces, and internal Tigrean factions.
He contends that the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (#CoHA) has been selectively implemented, contributing to continued occupation, administrative fragmentation, and restrictions on humanitarian access. Hagos notes that "rather than reconstruction, Tigray has been pushed into engineered dependency", reflected in blocked development initiatives, delayed salary payments, and constrained aid flows.
He emphasizes that this form of asymmetric pressure does not constitute stability but rather amounts to “the continuation of war by other means".
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57
Hagos Mezgebe Atsbaha argues that post-war Tigray has not transitioned into peace but instead remains subject to what he describes as “silent warfare", sustained through legal, economic, political, and social coercion by three competing forces: the federal government, #Eritrean forces, and internal Tigrean factions.
He contends that the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (#CoHA) has been selectively implemented, contributing to continued occupation, administrative fragmentation, and restrictions on humanitarian access. Hagos notes that "rather than reconstruction, Tigray has been pushed into engineered dependency", reflected in blocked development initiatives, delayed salary payments, and constrained aid flows.
He emphasizes that this form of asymmetric pressure does not constitute stability but rather amounts to “the continuation of war by other means".
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57
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#Ethiopian coffee sees growing demand in #Chinese market
Ethiopia is home to more than 6,000 #coffee varieties, and coffee accounts for around 35 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings.
Nebiyu Mohamed Bogale, minister at the Ethiopian Embassy in China, said that China has become an important market for Ethiopian coffee, with demand continuing to grow and the product gradually entering more restaurant and retail channels.
He described Ethiopian coffee as one of the most recommended national products, known for its aroma and taste, and its coffee beans are often chosen as gifts.
Apart from coffee, his time living in China has also exposed him to a wide range of local products. "When I go to different provinces, I used to buy something that is particular to that region," he said, adding that he often brings back a variety of local products when.....
https://shoppinginchina.chinaservicesinfo.com/s/202606/09/WS6a27c164498e23165e06fed0/ethiopian-coffee-sees-growing-demand-in-chinese-market.html
Ethiopia is home to more than 6,000 #coffee varieties, and coffee accounts for around 35 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings.
Nebiyu Mohamed Bogale, minister at the Ethiopian Embassy in China, said that China has become an important market for Ethiopian coffee, with demand continuing to grow and the product gradually entering more restaurant and retail channels.
He described Ethiopian coffee as one of the most recommended national products, known for its aroma and taste, and its coffee beans are often chosen as gifts.
Apart from coffee, his time living in China has also exposed him to a wide range of local products. "When I go to different provinces, I used to buy something that is particular to that region," he said, adding that he often brings back a variety of local products when.....
https://shoppinginchina.chinaservicesinfo.com/s/202606/09/WS6a27c164498e23165e06fed0/ethiopian-coffee-sees-growing-demand-in-chinese-market.html
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#UK announces #social_media ban for under-16s, citing child safety concerns
Addis Abeba – The UK government has announced a sweeping ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, with the restrictions set to take effect in spring 2027.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the policy on 15 June, describing it as a landmark measure to protect children from online harms and restore what he called “the childhood they deserve.” The move follows the government’s “Growing up in the online world” consultation, which received more than 116,000 responses and found that around nine in ten parents supported setting a minimum social media age of 16.
Under the new rules, major social media platforms that rely on user interaction and algorithm-driven content, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube’s social features, and X, will be required to block users under 16.
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0iQmbgbDQb66XDaT5EYXU1VoEtwdFURVLEcLzg8Ugdz7YcPPQjwZVvBEK4SSBxXh7l
Addis Abeba – The UK government has announced a sweeping ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, with the restrictions set to take effect in spring 2027.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the policy on 15 June, describing it as a landmark measure to protect children from online harms and restore what he called “the childhood they deserve.” The move follows the government’s “Growing up in the online world” consultation, which received more than 116,000 responses and found that around nine in ten parents supported setting a minimum social media age of 16.
Under the new rules, major social media platforms that rely on user interaction and algorithm-driven content, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube’s social features, and X, will be required to block users under 16.
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0iQmbgbDQb66XDaT5EYXU1VoEtwdFURVLEcLzg8Ugdz7YcPPQjwZVvBEK4SSBxXh7l
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News: ‘Despite several attempts,’ #French Embassy yet to receive response from Media Authority on journalist #Augustine_Passilly’s deportation
Speaking to #Addis_Standard, the French Embassy said it had requested a meeting with the #Ethiopian Media Authority following #Passilly's expulsion from #Ethiopia but had not received a response.
"The embassy requested a meeting with the Ethiopian Media Authority regarding the situation of French journalist Augustine Passilly. Despite several attempts, the embassy is still waiting for a response or clarification on the reasons behind her deportation," the embassy said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57695
Speaking to #Addis_Standard, the French Embassy said it had requested a meeting with the #Ethiopian Media Authority following #Passilly's expulsion from #Ethiopia but had not received a response.
"The embassy requested a meeting with the Ethiopian Media Authority regarding the situation of French journalist Augustine Passilly. Despite several attempts, the embassy is still waiting for a response or clarification on the reasons behind her deportation," the embassy said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57695
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#AS_Editorial: ‘Break this chain of attacks’: #East_Arsi's bloodshed persisted because impunity prevailed
A government that repeatedly fails to prevent foreseeable atrocities, repeatedly fails to identify perpetrators, and repeatedly fails to secure justice cannot absolve itself of responsibility. Through inaction, negligence, and ineffective response, it is becoming an accessory to the cycle of violence.
East Arsi does not need another statement of concern. It needs answers. It needs accountability.
And it needs an independent investigation with the authority to establish who is killing civilians, who is enabling the violence, and why the state continues to fail those it is constitutionally obligated to protect.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57692
A government that repeatedly fails to prevent foreseeable atrocities, repeatedly fails to identify perpetrators, and repeatedly fails to secure justice cannot absolve itself of responsibility. Through inaction, negligence, and ineffective response, it is becoming an accessory to the cycle of violence.
East Arsi does not need another statement of concern. It needs answers. It needs accountability.
And it needs an independent investigation with the authority to establish who is killing civilians, who is enabling the violence, and why the state continues to fail those it is constitutionally obligated to protect.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57692
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Oil falls as markets weigh return of supply, #US-#Iran peace deal
#Oil prices extended losses on Tuesday, as markets weighed prospects for resumption of supply through the key Strait of #Hormuz against shaky physical market drivers and a lack of details from a preliminary deal to end the Iran war.
By 0436 GMT, Brent crude futures fell 25 cents, or 0.3%, to $82.92 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate inched down 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $80.66 a barrel.
On Monday, oil prices fell nearly 5% to their lowest close since March 4, after U.S. President Donald #Trump said a memorandum of understanding was signed to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, though full details have not been made public.
The hostilities led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that typically carried one-fifth of the world's oil supply before the conflict.
Some analysts expect a resumption of supply soon....
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/oil-rebounds-concerns-about-us-iran-peace-deal-restoration-supply-2026-06-16/
#Oil prices extended losses on Tuesday, as markets weighed prospects for resumption of supply through the key Strait of #Hormuz against shaky physical market drivers and a lack of details from a preliminary deal to end the Iran war.
By 0436 GMT, Brent crude futures fell 25 cents, or 0.3%, to $82.92 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate inched down 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $80.66 a barrel.
On Monday, oil prices fell nearly 5% to their lowest close since March 4, after U.S. President Donald #Trump said a memorandum of understanding was signed to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, though full details have not been made public.
The hostilities led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that typically carried one-fifth of the world's oil supply before the conflict.
Some analysts expect a resumption of supply soon....
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/oil-rebounds-concerns-about-us-iran-peace-deal-restoration-supply-2026-06-16/
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Drone strikes kill over 1,000 civilians in #Sudan in the first 5 months of 2026, #UN rights chief says
Drone strikes killed more than 1,000 civilians in war-torn Sudan in the first five months of 2026, a senior #United_Nations official said Monday as the unmanned aerial vehicles turn the conflict deadlier for civilians.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said his office has documented a “sharp increase” in drone attacks as well as rape and sexual violence in the Sudan war, now in its fourth year.
He said his office registered the killing of over 1,000 civilians by drone strikes between January and May this year.
“In Sudan, the horrific conflict has expanded and escalated, marked by a sharp increase in the use of drone warfare,” Türk told the Human Rights Council in #Geneva.
The war in the northeastern #African country broke out on April 15, 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the......
https://apnews.com/article/sudan-deaths-2026-88f883750a3846c237fa3a62add55d7f
Drone strikes killed more than 1,000 civilians in war-torn Sudan in the first five months of 2026, a senior #United_Nations official said Monday as the unmanned aerial vehicles turn the conflict deadlier for civilians.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said his office has documented a “sharp increase” in drone attacks as well as rape and sexual violence in the Sudan war, now in its fourth year.
He said his office registered the killing of over 1,000 civilians by drone strikes between January and May this year.
“In Sudan, the horrific conflict has expanded and escalated, marked by a sharp increase in the use of drone warfare,” Türk told the Human Rights Council in #Geneva.
The war in the northeastern #African country broke out on April 15, 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the......
https://apnews.com/article/sudan-deaths-2026-88f883750a3846c237fa3a62add55d7f
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News: AFC extends US$600 million facility for Dangote fertilizer expansion, including #Ethiopia project
The Africa Finance Corporation (#AFC) has announced a US$600 million financing commitment to support a US$7 billion fertilizer expansion program by #Nigeria’s Dangote Group, including the development of a new large-scale urea fertilizer plant in Ethiopia.
In a statement issued on 15 June, AFC said the financing will be provided to Greenview Fertiliser Corp., Dangote’s fertilizer holding company, as part of a broader expansion initiative aimed at increasing fertilizer production capacity across Africa & strengthening the continent’s food security.
According to AFC, the expansion is expected to increase Dangote’s urea fertilizer production capacity in Nigeria from three million metric tonnes per year to nine million metric tonnes annually. Combined with the planned Ethiopian facility, the project would add significant fertilizer manufacturing capacity to the continent...
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57704
The Africa Finance Corporation (#AFC) has announced a US$600 million financing commitment to support a US$7 billion fertilizer expansion program by #Nigeria’s Dangote Group, including the development of a new large-scale urea fertilizer plant in Ethiopia.
In a statement issued on 15 June, AFC said the financing will be provided to Greenview Fertiliser Corp., Dangote’s fertilizer holding company, as part of a broader expansion initiative aimed at increasing fertilizer production capacity across Africa & strengthening the continent’s food security.
According to AFC, the expansion is expected to increase Dangote’s urea fertilizer production capacity in Nigeria from three million metric tonnes per year to nine million metric tonnes annually. Combined with the planned Ethiopian facility, the project would add significant fertilizer manufacturing capacity to the continent...
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57704
#Kenya wants to close refugee camps: the promise and risks of its ambitious new plan
Kenya hosts nearly a million refugees, mainly from #South_Sudan and #Somalia. Many of them have been living in refugee camps for decades.
Now, the country is attempting a major shift in refugee policy. The Kenyan government and the United Nations Refugee Agency (#UNHCR) developed the Shirika Plan, launching it in March 2025. The policy aims to move refugees away from long-term encampment and integrate them in society.
Drawing on their research on refugee governance and migration in Kenya, Edwin Mutyenyoka and Franzisca Zanker explain the opportunities and challenges the plan presents for refugees and host communities.
What is the Shirika Plan?
The Shirika Plan seeks to shift refugee management away from a camp-based system largely overseen by the UN towards a government-led model centred on .......
https://theconversation.com/kenya-wants-to-close-refugee-camps-the-promise-and-risks-of-its-ambitious-new-plan-283486
Kenya hosts nearly a million refugees, mainly from #South_Sudan and #Somalia. Many of them have been living in refugee camps for decades.
Now, the country is attempting a major shift in refugee policy. The Kenyan government and the United Nations Refugee Agency (#UNHCR) developed the Shirika Plan, launching it in March 2025. The policy aims to move refugees away from long-term encampment and integrate them in society.
Drawing on their research on refugee governance and migration in Kenya, Edwin Mutyenyoka and Franzisca Zanker explain the opportunities and challenges the plan presents for refugees and host communities.
What is the Shirika Plan?
The Shirika Plan seeks to shift refugee management away from a camp-based system largely overseen by the UN towards a government-led model centred on .......
https://theconversation.com/kenya-wants-to-close-refugee-camps-the-promise-and-risks-of-its-ambitious-new-plan-283486
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#Op_ed: Authority Without Legitimacy: #Somalia’s constitutional crisis, fracturing federal order
“As President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s democratic mandate expired on 15 May 2026, armed security forces moved to encircle opposition strongholds in Mogadishu, which underscored an escalating constitutional crisis,” writes Mohamud A. Ahmed.
He contends that this assertive exercise of executive power has effectively fractured Somalia’s post-2012 federal compact, further straining relations with key Federal Member States, including #Puntland and #Jubaland.
The author states “No leader is larger than the republic, and no political ambition is worth sacrificing the future of a nation still struggling to emerge from the long shadow of its past.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57701
“As President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s democratic mandate expired on 15 May 2026, armed security forces moved to encircle opposition strongholds in Mogadishu, which underscored an escalating constitutional crisis,” writes Mohamud A. Ahmed.
He contends that this assertive exercise of executive power has effectively fractured Somalia’s post-2012 federal compact, further straining relations with key Federal Member States, including #Puntland and #Jubaland.
The author states “No leader is larger than the republic, and no political ambition is worth sacrificing the future of a nation still struggling to emerge from the long shadow of its past.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57701
News: #TPLF accuses federal gov’t of preparing for renewed war, urges #Tigrayans to strengthen resistance
The #Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has accused the federal government of preparing for a renewed military confrontation in Tigray, alleging that authorities are conducting drone strikes, mobilizing troops, and maintaining a blockade on the region.
In a statement issued on 15 June, the TPLF claimed that the federal government, led by the ruling #Prosperity_Party, was "once again beating the drums of war" and preparing for what it described as "a second round of bloody conflict."
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57709
The #Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has accused the federal government of preparing for a renewed military confrontation in Tigray, alleging that authorities are conducting drone strikes, mobilizing troops, and maintaining a blockade on the region.
In a statement issued on 15 June, the TPLF claimed that the federal government, led by the ruling #Prosperity_Party, was "once again beating the drums of war" and preparing for what it described as "a second round of bloody conflict."
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57709
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News: #RSF buildup reported around El Obeid amid fears of major offensive
#Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have deployed what military sources described as unprecedented reinforcements around the strategic city of El Obeid in #North_Kordofan State, raising expectations of a large-scale assault in the coming days.
According to a report by Sudan Tribune, military sources said on Monday that the RSF had mobilized large numbers of fighters from #Darfur and West Kordofan, supported by armored vehicles and heavy military equipment, and positioned them around the city ahead of a possible ground offensive within the next 72 hours.
El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, has been under RSF siege since the early stages of the conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.
The latest military buildup comes amid growing indications that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) .....
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57719
#Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have deployed what military sources described as unprecedented reinforcements around the strategic city of El Obeid in #North_Kordofan State, raising expectations of a large-scale assault in the coming days.
According to a report by Sudan Tribune, military sources said on Monday that the RSF had mobilized large numbers of fighters from #Darfur and West Kordofan, supported by armored vehicles and heavy military equipment, and positioned them around the city ahead of a possible ground offensive within the next 72 hours.
El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, has been under RSF siege since the early stages of the conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.
The latest military buildup comes amid growing indications that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) .....
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57719
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News: #South_Africa rejects migration narrative as #WHO chief condemns xenophobic violence
In a statement released on Monday, the Presidency said it would engage the WHO through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (#DIRCO) to ensure that information shared internationally reflects “verified findings” by South African authorities.
Government said the deaths of #Ethiopian nationals are being investigated as part of organized criminal activity, while also confirming that probes are ongoing into the deaths of #Mozambican citizens. Authorities reiterated that only law enforcement agencies are mandated to handle immigration and criminal investigations, warning against misinformation and vigilantism.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57727
In a statement released on Monday, the Presidency said it would engage the WHO through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (#DIRCO) to ensure that information shared internationally reflects “verified findings” by South African authorities.
Government said the deaths of #Ethiopian nationals are being investigated as part of organized criminal activity, while also confirming that probes are ongoing into the deaths of #Mozambican citizens. Authorities reiterated that only law enforcement agencies are mandated to handle immigration and criminal investigations, warning against misinformation and vigilantism.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57727
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#News_Analysis: Despite diplomatic divergences over #Ethiopia, #Sudan, #Egypt and #UAE renew ‘deeply rooted strategic’ partnership
The latest face-to-face meeting between the two leaders came weeks after they jointly inspected an Egyptian fighter detachment stationed in the UAE, highlighting the growing military and security cooperation between the two countries.
Yet the Egyptian-Emirati partnership continues despite notable divergences on several regional issues in the Horn of Africa, most prominently the civil war in Sudan. Furthermore, Ethiopia brings another geopolitical divergence between the two in the Horn of Africa region.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57712
The latest face-to-face meeting between the two leaders came weeks after they jointly inspected an Egyptian fighter detachment stationed in the UAE, highlighting the growing military and security cooperation between the two countries.
Yet the Egyptian-Emirati partnership continues despite notable divergences on several regional issues in the Horn of Africa, most prominently the civil war in Sudan. Furthermore, Ethiopia brings another geopolitical divergence between the two in the Horn of Africa region.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57712
News: Newly elected #Southwest_State leader meets #Ethiopian Sector 3 forces, pledges deeper security cooperation
Madobe described #Ethiopia and Somalia as “brotherly peoples who cannot be separated,” ENDF cited him as saying.
Madobe’s engagement with Ethiopian forces comes days after his election as President of Southwest State on 10 June, in a vote held in Baidoa that he won with 88 out of 90 parliamentary votes cast.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57720
Madobe described #Ethiopia and Somalia as “brotherly peoples who cannot be separated,” ENDF cited him as saying.
Madobe’s engagement with Ethiopian forces comes days after his election as President of Southwest State on 10 June, in a vote held in Baidoa that he won with 88 out of 90 parliamentary votes cast.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=57720
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#Ethiopia has “already securitized lack of access to sea”: PM Abiy Ahmed’s Security Advisor
Speaking to state media, Kenea Yadeta, Security Advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the sea is “fundamentally an issue of sovereignty” and has already been “securitized.”
He said the issue is increasingly gaining acceptance domestically and internationally, adding that as an “anchor state” in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia could play a “major role” in advancing regional economic integration, security, and stability.
Kenea further said that Ethiopia’s has “historical and legal justification” for its claim.
Watch.
Speaking to state media, Kenea Yadeta, Security Advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the sea is “fundamentally an issue of sovereignty” and has already been “securitized.”
He said the issue is increasingly gaining acceptance domestically and internationally, adding that as an “anchor state” in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia could play a “major role” in advancing regional economic integration, security, and stability.
Kenea further said that Ethiopia’s has “historical and legal justification” for its claim.
Watch.
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