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
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
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#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
#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
Media is too big
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#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
#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
YouTube
The Standard Signal Ep.23| Semhal Meles on TPLF, Elite Capture & The Politics of Resource Extraction
Can Tigray’s post-war political crisis be understood without examining state collapse, institutional destruction, and economic devastation?
In this episode of The Standard Signal, host Tsedale Lemma welcomes back Semhal Meles for an in-depth conversation…
In this episode of The Standard Signal, host Tsedale Lemma welcomes back Semhal Meles for an in-depth conversation…
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#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
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.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BsaQx7iYF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BsaQx7iYF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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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
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
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#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
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
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
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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
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
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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’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.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18V8QrKPyq/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18V8QrKPyq/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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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
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
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
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News: #Ethiopia's month-long National Dialogue Forum opens amid criticism from opposition parties
Watch
Watch
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Missed yesterday's live stream?
The full episode of The Standard Signal Ep.23| is now available on YouTube.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-L7qW6ShZM
Join Tsedale Lemma and Semhal Meles for an in-depth discussion on Tigray's post-war political future, the TPLF, militarization, and Ethiopia's political economy.
#TheStandardSignal #Ethiopia #Tigray
The full episode of The Standard Signal Ep.23| is now available on YouTube.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-L7qW6ShZM
Join Tsedale Lemma and Semhal Meles for an in-depth discussion on Tigray's post-war political future, the TPLF, militarization, and Ethiopia's political economy.
#TheStandardSignal #Ethiopia #Tigray
YouTube
The Standard Signal Ep.23| Semhal Meles on TPLF, Elite Capture & The Politics of Resource Extraction
Can Tigray’s post-war political crisis be understood without examining state collapse, institutional destruction, and economic devastation?
In this episode of The Standard Signal, host Tsedale Lemma welcomes back Semhal Meles for an in-depth conversation…
In this episode of The Standard Signal, host Tsedale Lemma welcomes back Semhal Meles for an in-depth conversation…
Renewed #US-#Iran escalation sends oil prices higher as #Hormuz shipping slows
Renewed fighting between the United States and Iran has sent global oil prices sharply higher, as fears over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz rattled energy markets and heightened concerns over global fuel supplies.
Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures surged between 12 and 15 July, following reports of military strikes, attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and the collapse of a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Reuters reported that WTI climbed by nearly 10% in a single trading session to around $78 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by a similar margin to above $83 per barrel, reaching their highest levels in about a month as traders priced in growing risks to global oil supplies. By midweek, Brent had traded above $85 at points as geopolitical tensions intensified.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DM3L455EC/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Renewed fighting between the United States and Iran has sent global oil prices sharply higher, as fears over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz rattled energy markets and heightened concerns over global fuel supplies.
Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures surged between 12 and 15 July, following reports of military strikes, attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and the collapse of a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Reuters reported that WTI climbed by nearly 10% in a single trading session to around $78 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by a similar margin to above $83 per barrel, reaching their highest levels in about a month as traders priced in growing risks to global oil supplies. By midweek, Brent had traded above $85 at points as geopolitical tensions intensified.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DM3L455EC/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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News: #Heart_Attack_Ethiopia, #Ethiopian_Airlines sign deal for cardiac hospital near #Bishoftu Airport
Dr. Tesfaye said the center is envisioned as a leading cardiac care facility serving not only Ethiopia but the wider East African region once operational.
The planned medical center will also provide emergency cardiac care to Ethiopian Airlines passengers who experience acute heart-related complications.
Explaining the choice of the facility's name, Dr. Tesfaye said “Intima” refers to the innermost layer of a blood vessel through which blood flows, noting that heart attacks can occur when this layer becomes damaged.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58340
Dr. Tesfaye said the center is envisioned as a leading cardiac care facility serving not only Ethiopia but the wider East African region once operational.
The planned medical center will also provide emergency cardiac care to Ethiopian Airlines passengers who experience acute heart-related complications.
Explaining the choice of the facility's name, Dr. Tesfaye said “Intima” refers to the innermost layer of a blood vessel through which blood flows, noting that heart attacks can occur when this layer becomes damaged.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58340
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News: Reuters investigation links #US contractor’s aviation network to #Sudan’s RSF supply flights
A major #Reuters investigation has linked aircraft operated by companies controlled by a former U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and longtime U.S. government contractor to an aviation network that allegedly supplied Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (#RSF) during some of the most intense phases of the country’s ongoing war, adding fresh evidence to a growing body of investigations exposing the international logistical and financial networks sustaining the conflict.
The investigation, published on 15 July, identifies Steven Shaulis, head of the Singapore-based Central Asia Development Group (#CADG), as being connected through his companies to at least three aging Boeing aircraft that flew between logistics hubs in Chad, Libya, Somalia and RSF-held areas in Sudan’s Darfur region.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58346
A major #Reuters investigation has linked aircraft operated by companies controlled by a former U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and longtime U.S. government contractor to an aviation network that allegedly supplied Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (#RSF) during some of the most intense phases of the country’s ongoing war, adding fresh evidence to a growing body of investigations exposing the international logistical and financial networks sustaining the conflict.
The investigation, published on 15 July, identifies Steven Shaulis, head of the Singapore-based Central Asia Development Group (#CADG), as being connected through his companies to at least three aging Boeing aircraft that flew between logistics hubs in Chad, Libya, Somalia and RSF-held areas in Sudan’s Darfur region.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58346
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#Commentary: #Paris Bets Big on Addis: Charting new geometry of #Franco-#Ethiopian relations
Assefa Leake Gebru argues that #France and #Ethiopia have moved beyond sporadic diplomatic engagement to forge a robust strategic partnership. In analyzing this shift, he notes that "Ethiopia has evolved into France’s principal strategic anchor in East Africa."
This transformation, the author contends, reflects both Ethiopia’s expanding influence within the Horn of #Africa and France’s deliberate efforts to adapt to an increasingly multipolar global order.
Furthermore, Assefa highlights that this relationship is "a carefully thought-out, long-term strategy meant to endure changes," signaling a definitive departure from historical dynamics of dominance toward a genuine, shared partnership.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58358
Assefa Leake Gebru argues that #France and #Ethiopia have moved beyond sporadic diplomatic engagement to forge a robust strategic partnership. In analyzing this shift, he notes that "Ethiopia has evolved into France’s principal strategic anchor in East Africa."
This transformation, the author contends, reflects both Ethiopia’s expanding influence within the Horn of #Africa and France’s deliberate efforts to adapt to an increasingly multipolar global order.
Furthermore, Assefa highlights that this relationship is "a carefully thought-out, long-term strategy meant to endure changes," signaling a definitive departure from historical dynamics of dominance toward a genuine, shared partnership.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58358
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