PM Abiy arrives in #Qatar to offer condolences
 
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has arrived in #Doha, Qatar, to offer #Ethiopia’s condolences following the death of Qatar’s former Amir and Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
 
He ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013 and is widely credited with transforming the Gulf state into a global energy and diplomatic power, launching the Al Jazeera media network, and steering the country’s rise on the international stage, including preparations that culminated in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
 
The visit “reflects the longstanding friendship between Ethiopia and Qatar and honors the legacy of a leader who left a lasting impact on the region and the world,” his office said.
 
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58264

#UAE condemns #Iranian missile strike on two Emirati tankers in #Strait_of_Hormuz, says attack violates international law

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has condemned what it described as a “brazen” Iranian cruise missile attack on two UAE-owned tankers in the southern Strait of Hormuz, saying the incident represents “a serious violation and a clear breach of international law” that threatens regional security.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the vessels targeted were the oil tanker Mombasa and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Al Bahiyah, both operating near Oman’s coast when they came under attack.

According to the ministry, one Indian crew member was killed in the strike, while eight others were injured, including six Indian nationals and two Ukrainians. Four of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.

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#Ethiopia eyes larger share of global #avocado market by targeting seasonal supply gap

Ethiopia is seeking to expand its position in the global avocado market by capitalizing on a seasonal supply gap and investing in export infrastructure aimed at improving competitiveness in European and Middle Eastern markets.

Citing the Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia Today reported that the country's avocado harvest, which peaks between July and September, coincides with a period when exports from Peru, the world's largest avocado exporter, decline, creating an opportunity for alternative suppliers to meet demand.

The push comes as Ethiopia recorded a 36.3% year-on-year increase in fresh avocado exports, according to the ministry, which is seeking to increase export earnings from one of the country's fastest-growing horticultural commodities.

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News: #TPLF-reinstated #Tigray Regional State rejects National Dialogue forum, says region will not participate

In a statement issued yesterday, the Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau said the administration would not participate in the National Dialogue process, arguing that the forum fails to address what it described as the fundamental issues facing the people of Tigray.

The bureau accused the federal government, led by Prime Minister #Abiy_Ahmed, of failing to implement key provisions of the #Pretoria peace agreement and alleged that Tigray continues to face severe humanitarian, political, and security challenges despite the cessation of hostilities signed in November 2022.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58275

News: #EU targets #Sudan's gold trade with new sanctions to curb war financing
 
The Council introduced a ban on the purchase, import, or transfer of gold originating in Sudan. It also prohibited the sale, supply, transfer, or export of mercury and cyanide to Sudan, chemicals widely used in gold mining and extraction.
 
Sudan’s war has also been sustained by extensive illicit smuggling networks. Estimates suggest that between 50% and 80% of Sudan’s gold production is smuggled out of the country through neighboring states before reaching international markets.
 
The United Arab Emirates has been identified in numerous reports as the principal destination for much of the smuggled gold, where it is refined and traded globally, making the gold trade a critical source of revenue for the rival factions.
 
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58269

News: #Sudan army says it shot down #Chinese-made drone near #El_Obeid

The #Sudanese army said it shot down an advanced Chinese-made drone near the city of El Obeid in North #Kordofan State, marking the third reported interception of the same drone model this month amid intensified fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (#RSF).

In a statement on Monday, the Sudanese Armed Forces (#SAF) said its air defenses intercepted an FH-95 strategic drone northwest of El Obeid. The military described the drone as a hostile aircraft but did not provide further details about the circumstances of the operation.

According to the Sudanese army, this was the third FH-95 drone it had downed in July. The military said the first was intercepted on July 2 in #Tendelti, White #Nile_State, while another was brought down the following week along the highway linking #Khartoum and #North_Kordofan.

https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2076975468184563787?s=20

#Op_ed: Beyond Dictatorship: How Green Revolution movement reframes #Eritrea’s political debate from power to representation

The article argues that Eritrea’s crisis extends beyond authoritarian rule to encompass “the longstanding exclusion of a significant segment of Eritrean society from meaningful political representation.”

It examines the emergence of the #Green_Revolution, a youth-led movement advocating “constitutional partnership, equal citizenship, and democratic pluralism” as the foundation for a more inclusive political system that reflects Eritrea’s diverse society.

The article further notes, “The movement envisions a negotiated partnership between the Muslim and Christian segments to establish a new social contract based on democratic pluralism and equitable representation.”

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58261

News: #Tigray Culture Bureau accuses PM Abiy of using #Emperor_Yohannes IV’s history for political division

In a statement issued this morning, the bureau criticized comments attributed to #PM_Abiy during the inauguration of the new #Debre_Markos Airport, where it said the Prime Minister referenced atrocities allegedly committed against the people of #Gojjam during Emperor #Yohannes_IV’s reign. The bureau also cited earlier remarks Abiy made regarding the displacement of people in #Wollo during Yohannes IV’s era.

The bureau accused the Prime Minister of selectively highlighting historical shortcomings of past rulers to advance political objectives.
"Such remarks are completely unexpected from a national leader who is responsible and supposed to work for the unity of his people," the statement said.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58284

#Coming_UP: The Standard Signal Ep.23| Semhal Meles on TPLF, Elite Capture & The Politics of Resource Extraction

#TsedaleLemma speaks with #SemhalMeles

How should political failures be assessed after institutional collapse and mass atrocities? Can democratic institutions and ideological clarity help prevent elite capture and military predation?

Watch the full conversation on Addis Standard.

Premiers at: 5:00 PM EAT today.

Subscribe to watch: https://www.youtube.com/@AddisStandard

#TheStandardSignal #Ethiopia #Tigray #TPLF #TigrayPolitics #PretoriaAgreement #EthiopiaWar #PoliticalEconomy #ResourceExtraction #SemhalMeles #TsedaleLemma

#Premiering_now: The Standard Signal Ep.23| Semhal Meles on TPLF, Elite Capture & The Politics of Resource Extraction 

#TsedaleLemma speaks with #SemhalMeles

How should political failures be assessed after institutional collapse and mass atrocities? Can democratic institutions and ideological clarity help prevent elite capture and military predation?

Watch now: https://youtu.be/C-L7qW6ShZM?is=hTlMvDgCoyQJ_Qbt

#TheStandardSignal #Ethiopia #Tigray #TPLF #TigrayPolitics #PretoriaAgreement #EthiopiaWar #PoliticalEconomy #ResourceExtraction #SemhalMeles #TsedaleLemma

#AFRICOM links security, economic development and innovation in #Africa strategy shift
 
 The 2026 African Chiefs of Defense Conference brought together representatives from 35 African countries, alongside Brazil and U.S. National Guard state partnership programs from across the United States.
 
 A new feature of this year’s conference was a dedicated discussion on defense economics, including an industry roundtable that brought together senior U.S. officials and African and American private-sector leaders to address barriers to defense-industrial cooperation.
 
Participants identified capital risk, bureaucratic hurdles, limited defense budgets, and competition as key obstacles, while highlighting the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor railway linking Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a model for combining infrastructure investment with regional stability.
 
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58278

#UN Security Council extends #Red_Sea shipping attack reporting mandate as #Saudi-#Houthi tensions escalate

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution extending the Secretary-General’s monthly reporting on Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea for another six months, amid renewed military escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement.

Resolution 2826 (2026), adopted on 14 July, renews the reporting requirement until mid-January 2027. The mechanism, first established under Resolution 2722 (2024), requires the Secretary-General to submit monthly reports on attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade corridors.

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#US Ambassador Ervin Massinga visits #Mekelle as Pretoria Agreement faces renewed strain

The visit comes less than three weeks after the ambassador postponed a planned trip to Mekelle amid escalating internal political tensions within Tigray, which Washington viewed as posing a risk to the AU-mediated Pretoria peace process.

It also takes place against the backdrop of renewed tensions between Mekelle and Addis Abeba over the future of the Pretoria Agreement.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58294

#Opinion: From #London to Addis: #Britain’s political turmoil, Horn of #Africa implications

Jim Stenman argues that Britain’s ongoing political instability has severely compromised its credibility as a democratic exemplar and diplomatic partner for the Horn of Africa, noting that "the country that spent decades grading this region's politics is now failing its own exam."

The author contrasts Britain’s institutional decline with #Somalia’s systemic challenges, warning that frequent leadership turnover and volatile policy shifts continue to erode international trust.

While Britain retains significant institutional value, Stenman emphasizes that governments across the Horn—including #Ethiopia—must secure structural, long-term partnerships rather than rely on unpredictable political commitments.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58291

#Safaricom’s #Ethiopia partners have right to buy back 2.8pc stake

Safaricom has disclosed that its co-investors in its Ethiopia subsidiary retain the right to buy back the 2.78 percent stake they lost when it made an equity investment in the unit in the year to March 2026.

The telco and its South African parent Vodacom Group Limited, through their investment vehicle Vodafamily Ethiopia Holding Limited, participated exclusively in a cash call that raised Sh21.3 billion and increased their combined stake in the telco from 57.41 percent to 60.19 percent.

Safaricom contributed Sh19.64 billion into Vodafamily for the cash call, effectively raising its holding in the Ethiopia unit to 54.17 percent from 51.67 percent in 2025. Vodacom’s stake rose to 6.02 percent from 5.74 percent.

https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/companies/safaricom-s-ethiopia-partners-have-right-to-buy-back-stake-5526790

News: Only one in four Ethiopians have reliable electricity despite grid expansion, new survey finds
 
While 88% of urban residents reported being connected to the national grid, only 20% of rural residents said they had access. Reliable electricity was available to 59% of urban residents, compared with only 9% of rural dwellers, while 81% of rural respondents said they had no grid connection at all.
 
Across Africa, Ethiopia also lags behind many of its peers. According to the survey, only nine of the 39 African countries included in Afrobarometer’s 2021–2023 surveys recorded lower electricity access than Ethiopia.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58314

News: #Ethiopia's month-long National Dialogue Forum opens amid criticism from opposition parties

Ethiopia’s long-awaited National Dialogue Forum officially opened today in #Addis_Ababa, bringing together more than 4,000 participants for month-long deliberations aimed at forging consensus on the country’s fundamental political questions, even as opposition parties criticized both the inclusiveness of the process and its decision-making procedures.

The forum, organized by the #Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (#ENDC), is expected to run for 30 days. Participants have been divided into groups of 500 to deliberate on agenda items collected through what the Commission says was a nationwide, bottom-up consultation involving hundreds of thousands of citizens.

Opening the forum, ENDC Chief Commissioner Prof. #Mesfin_Araya called on participants to set aside emotions and prioritize Ethiopia’s national interest throughout the discussions.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58317

#Ethiopia: Addis Abeba Police detain man over alleged illegal weapons cache in capital

The Addis Abeba Police Commission says it has detained a suspect accused of “stockpiling illegal firearms and ammunition” at his residence in the 40/60 condominium housing complex in Addis Abeba city, Lemi Kura Sub-City, Woreda 10, following a tip-off from local residents.

In a statement issued today, the Commission identified the suspect as Yared Tesema and said the weapons were discovered during a search conducted on 13 July 2026 “after police obtained a court-issued search and arrest warrant.”

The Commission said “residents reported their suspicions” about the suspect in person to the Summit Area Police Department's Crime Investigation Division, prompting an investigation. Police said officers carried out “a surprise search of the residence”, where they recovered two Colt pistols, two Star pistols, daggers, and 390 rounds of ammunition for various firearms.

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News: Former #Tigray Interim Administration President #Tadesse_Werede reportedly blocked from meeting #US Ambassador

Sources told #Addis_Standard that Gen. Tadesse, who previously served as president of the Tigray Interim Administration, had a scheduled meeting with Ambassador #Massinga. However, security forces reportedly instructed guards assigned to him to prevent his movement.

According to the sources, security personnel were told: "You have been barred from moving; however, if he wants to go, he can walk on his own two feet."
Following the cancellation of the face-to-face meeting, Ambassador Massinga and Lt. Gen. Tadesse held a telephone conversation, the sources said.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=58332

News: #Ethiopia’s loss of #Red_Sea access stemmed from ‘internal weakness’, not ‘external force,’ PM Abiy
 
Addressing the opening of the National Dialogue Forum in Addis Abeba today, Abiy said Ethiopia's historical inability to manage internal differences had enabled outside actors to exploit divisions, ultimately undermining the country's strategic interests, including access to the Red Sea.
 
“In this journey, through our own internal weakness and their opportunism, we lost our access to the Red Sea,” Abiy said, adding that Ethiopia had “administered, owned, and utilized” the Red Sea “for thousands of years.” He argued that the country's current landlocked status resulted “not because there was an external force that could permanently block Ethiopia's destiny and interests,” but because of domestic fragmentation.
 
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58335

News: #Ethiopia's month-long National Dialogue Forum opens amid criticism from opposition parties

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