#Commentary: The Ground Beneath #Ethiopia’s Capital: #Finfinnee, #Addis_Abeba, and the politics of territorial recognition
In this commentary, Hambisa Belina argues that Finfinnee/Addis Abeba is simultaneously an #Oromo place, a diverse municipality, Ethiopia’s federal capital, and a Pan-African diplomatic centre, but these identities do not carry equal institutional weight.
He describes this imbalance as an “imperial-capital enclave” shaped by historical incorporation, material dependence on surrounding territory, and weak institutional links with #Oromia.
Hambisa further contends that recognition alone is insufficient: “What remains missing is a dependable institutional path for making it matter.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59597
In this commentary, Hambisa Belina argues that Finfinnee/Addis Abeba is simultaneously an #Oromo place, a diverse municipality, Ethiopia’s federal capital, and a Pan-African diplomatic centre, but these identities do not carry equal institutional weight.
He describes this imbalance as an “imperial-capital enclave” shaped by historical incorporation, material dependence on surrounding territory, and weak institutional links with #Oromia.
Hambisa further contends that recognition alone is insufficient: “What remains missing is a dependable institutional path for making it matter.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59597
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News: #Rwanda’s Bank of Kigali joins #China payment network as #Africa’s de-dollarisation drive expands
Rwanda’s Bank of #Kigali has become the first financial institution in the country and the first headquartered in East and Central Africa to directly connect to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (#CIPS), as financial ties between Rwanda and China deepen.
Business Insider Africa reported that the agreement was signed by Bank of Kigali on 8 September in Xiamen, China, during the second CIPS Cross-Border Bank-Enterprise Cooperation Event.
The connection will enable more direct payments between Rwandan and Chinese financial institutions and could reduce the number of intermediary banks involved in some transactions, according to the bank.
The development is expected to facilitate transactions for Rwandan businesses importing goods from China and exporters.......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02MvjEz4GZvdC7JG2Zo8ENrNocLq88TLKqgepn42QaKj5uh4G8CFBndqFynCrUqgATl
Rwanda’s Bank of #Kigali has become the first financial institution in the country and the first headquartered in East and Central Africa to directly connect to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (#CIPS), as financial ties between Rwanda and China deepen.
Business Insider Africa reported that the agreement was signed by Bank of Kigali on 8 September in Xiamen, China, during the second CIPS Cross-Border Bank-Enterprise Cooperation Event.
The connection will enable more direct payments between Rwandan and Chinese financial institutions and could reduce the number of intermediary banks involved in some transactions, according to the bank.
The development is expected to facilitate transactions for Rwandan businesses importing goods from China and exporters.......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02MvjEz4GZvdC7JG2Zo8ENrNocLq88TLKqgepn42QaKj5uh4G8CFBndqFynCrUqgATl
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News: #ILO, #UNHCR expand decent work initiatives for refugees, host communities in #Ethiopia
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have strengthened their partnership in Ethiopia to expand refugees’ and #host_communities’ access to decent work, market-relevant skills and sustainable livelihoods.
The two #UN agencies signed a Supplementary Understanding on 25 September to expand cooperation on economic inclusion, employment and livelihood opportunities for #refugees and host communities, according to the ILO.
According to the ILO, joint interventions under the PROSPECTS Partnership in Ethiopia have reached more than 524,000 refugees and members of host communities with socioeconomic services since the partnership was launched in the country.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59631
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have strengthened their partnership in Ethiopia to expand refugees’ and #host_communities’ access to decent work, market-relevant skills and sustainable livelihoods.
The two #UN agencies signed a Supplementary Understanding on 25 September to expand cooperation on economic inclusion, employment and livelihood opportunities for #refugees and host communities, according to the ILO.
According to the ILO, joint interventions under the PROSPECTS Partnership in Ethiopia have reached more than 524,000 refugees and members of host communities with socioeconomic services since the partnership was launched in the country.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59631
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News: #Ethiopia army chief accuses foreign powers of ‘pushing, supporting and supplying’ new armed alliance
Birhanu said Ethiopia's current security challenges were part of a broader strategy by what he described as the country's “historical” and “contemporary” adversaries, who, he alleged, were no longer capable of confronting Ethiopia through direct military invasion.
He alleged that Eritrea, which he referred to as “Shaebia,” acts as an intermediary between external powers and armed groups inside Ethiopia, claiming that the TPLF and Eritrea could not independently confront the federal government.
“Neither #Shaebia nor the #TPLF can achieve anything alone - even if combined - unless pushed, supported, and supplied by #Sudan, #Egypt, and powers beyond,” Birhanu said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59642
Birhanu said Ethiopia's current security challenges were part of a broader strategy by what he described as the country's “historical” and “contemporary” adversaries, who, he alleged, were no longer capable of confronting Ethiopia through direct military invasion.
He alleged that Eritrea, which he referred to as “Shaebia,” acts as an intermediary between external powers and armed groups inside Ethiopia, claiming that the TPLF and Eritrea could not independently confront the federal government.
“Neither #Shaebia nor the #TPLF can achieve anything alone - even if combined - unless pushed, supported, and supplied by #Sudan, #Egypt, and powers beyond,” Birhanu said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59642
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Number of #Sudanese fleeing to #Chad surges 20-fold as aid runs dry, UN says
There has been a sharp increase in the number of people fleeing from Sudan to Chad to escape fighting and dire conditions, and aid funding is failing to keep up with needs, the #United_Nations refugee agency said on Friday.
More than 400 people a day have been crossing into eastern Chad over the past week, a 20-fold increase from the numbers seen in recent months, #UNHCR said.
They were fleeing Sudan's #Darfur, #Kordofan and #Blue_Nile regions — which have all been hit by clashes between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in a more than three-year-old civil war.
There were "people who tell us that they flee the conflict, they flee the aerial bombardments, they flee the drone attacks," Mamadou Dian Balde, UN Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation, told reporters in.......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0isUUpnj1TEN3ePVfKpbznrn4uamCxwc21vSoccncHiHc43v51wxJBMecxVLJZy3rl
There has been a sharp increase in the number of people fleeing from Sudan to Chad to escape fighting and dire conditions, and aid funding is failing to keep up with needs, the #United_Nations refugee agency said on Friday.
More than 400 people a day have been crossing into eastern Chad over the past week, a 20-fold increase from the numbers seen in recent months, #UNHCR said.
They were fleeing Sudan's #Darfur, #Kordofan and #Blue_Nile regions — which have all been hit by clashes between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in a more than three-year-old civil war.
There were "people who tell us that they flee the conflict, they flee the aerial bombardments, they flee the drone attacks," Mamadou Dian Balde, UN Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation, told reporters in.......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0isUUpnj1TEN3ePVfKpbznrn4uamCxwc21vSoccncHiHc43v51wxJBMecxVLJZy3rl
#UAE calls for ‘immediate cessation of hostilities’ to end #Ethiopia‘a renewed conflict
The United Arab Emirates has called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” and de-escalation of tensions in Ethiopia, amid renewed fighting involving the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied armed groups.
In a statement issued on Friday, the UAE strongly condemned what it described as recent attacks by the TPLF and the armed alliance it has joined against Ethiopian federal forces, as well as the seizure of airports in Tigray and military escalation in neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.
UAE Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation of tensions,” while stressing the need to protect civilians, prevent further violence and adhere to the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CNQdjp9BB/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The United Arab Emirates has called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” and de-escalation of tensions in Ethiopia, amid renewed fighting involving the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and allied armed groups.
In a statement issued on Friday, the UAE strongly condemned what it described as recent attacks by the TPLF and the armed alliance it has joined against Ethiopian federal forces, as well as the seizure of airports in Tigray and military escalation in neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.
UAE Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation of tensions,” while stressing the need to protect civilians, prevent further violence and adhere to the Pretoria Peace Agreement.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CNQdjp9BB/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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#Ethiopia: Indiscriminate airstrike in #Tigray
Investigate Attack Wounding 13 Civilians as Possible War Crime
An apparent Ethiopian government airstrike on a residential compound in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region on August 20, 2026, should be investigated as a possible war crime, Human Rights Watch said today. The attack wounded 13 civilians, including seven children.
The airstrike hit the Daero neighborhood of Mekelle, Tigray’s regional capital, which had no evident military targets, making the strike unlawfully indiscriminate. Ethiopian authorities should impartially and transparently investigate the attack, prosecute those responsible for any wrongdoing, and adequately compensate the victims.
“The resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia heightens concerns about unlawful attacks and the grave threat posed to civilians,” said Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/25/ethiopia-indiscriminate-airstrike-in-tigray
Investigate Attack Wounding 13 Civilians as Possible War Crime
An apparent Ethiopian government airstrike on a residential compound in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region on August 20, 2026, should be investigated as a possible war crime, Human Rights Watch said today. The attack wounded 13 civilians, including seven children.
The airstrike hit the Daero neighborhood of Mekelle, Tigray’s regional capital, which had no evident military targets, making the strike unlawfully indiscriminate. Ethiopian authorities should impartially and transparently investigate the attack, prosecute those responsible for any wrongdoing, and adequately compensate the victims.
“The resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia heightens concerns about unlawful attacks and the grave threat posed to civilians,” said Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/09/25/ethiopia-indiscriminate-airstrike-in-tigray
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News: ‘Deeply alarmed’ by #Ethiopia escalation, #UN rights chief urges parties to avoid return to full-scale war
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday expressed alarm over the widening impact of renewed fighting in Ethiopia on civilians, urging all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions and prevent a return to full-scale war.
The UN human rights office said airstrikes by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), including strikes reportedly carried out using drones, hit five schools in Tigray on 22 September, causing deaths and injuries. A mortar strike in Kobo town, Amhara region, reportedly attributed to the ENDF on 23 September also resulted in civilian deaths.
“I am deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in hostilities between Ethiopian Government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its allies, and the harmful impacts it is already having on civilians,” Türk said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59654
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday expressed alarm over the widening impact of renewed fighting in Ethiopia on civilians, urging all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions and prevent a return to full-scale war.
The UN human rights office said airstrikes by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), including strikes reportedly carried out using drones, hit five schools in Tigray on 22 September, causing deaths and injuries. A mortar strike in Kobo town, Amhara region, reportedly attributed to the ENDF on 23 September also resulted in civilian deaths.
“I am deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in hostilities between Ethiopian Government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its allies, and the harmful impacts it is already having on civilians,” Türk said.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59654
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Power cuts and rubble: Millions come home to find #Sudan’s capital unlivable
They came home to a war-ruined city determined to rebuild their lives, but a chronic lack of power, water, jobs and medicine has left many residents of Sudan’s capital wishing they had stayed away.
About 4 million people fled #Khartoum after war broke out between the army and a paramilitary force in 2023, in fighting that reduced large parts of the city to rubble.
But the estimated 2.7 million who have returned since the army recaptured Khartoum last year are caught between joy at being home and the harsh realities of living there. Businessman Emad Khaled said he was sending his family back to Egypt while he remains in Khartoum for his work.
“Bringing my family back was a mistake,” the 43-year-old said near the city center, which is filled with blackened, bombed-out buildings. Multiple government officials....
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They came home to a war-ruined city determined to rebuild their lives, but a chronic lack of power, water, jobs and medicine has left many residents of Sudan’s capital wishing they had stayed away.
About 4 million people fled #Khartoum after war broke out between the army and a paramilitary force in 2023, in fighting that reduced large parts of the city to rubble.
But the estimated 2.7 million who have returned since the army recaptured Khartoum last year are caught between joy at being home and the harsh realities of living there. Businessman Emad Khaled said he was sending his family back to Egypt while he remains in Khartoum for his work.
“Bringing my family back was a mistake,” the 43-year-old said near the city center, which is filled with blackened, bombed-out buildings. Multiple government officials....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02nzkhPKNMbWhabRDr6KHRMd51qZHLEcjEFXPxwmtnYec67nZvRmeRzR1sDWnCRd1Nl
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News: As fighting intensifies, humanitarian source estimates at least 150,000 displaced in #Afar, #Tigray_TV hit by drone
At least 150,000 people have been displaced in #Ethiopia’s Afar region amid intensifying fighting between Tigrayan forces and federal troops, a humanitarian source cited by AFP estimated, while a drone strike hit the headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle on Sunday. The source cautioned that precise displacement figures were not available.
AFP reported that the town of #Erebti, near the Tigray border, fell to Tigrayan forces on Sunday after heavy artillery fire. The humanitarian source said the forces were advancing toward #Afdeera, about 100 kilometres east of Erebti.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59677
At least 150,000 people have been displaced in #Ethiopia’s Afar region amid intensifying fighting between Tigrayan forces and federal troops, a humanitarian source cited by AFP estimated, while a drone strike hit the headquarters of Tigrai TV in Mekelle on Sunday. The source cautioned that precise displacement figures were not available.
AFP reported that the town of #Erebti, near the Tigray border, fell to Tigrayan forces on Sunday after heavy artillery fire. The humanitarian source said the forces were advancing toward #Afdeera, about 100 kilometres east of Erebti.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59677
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News: #Sudan army rejects #Ethiopia’s claims of backing armed opposition coalition
The Sudanese Armed Forces (#SAF) has rejected accusations by Ethiopia’s military chief that #Khartoum is supporting an alliance of armed and political groups opposed to the federal government, describing the claims as “baseless” and urging #Addis_Abeba to address disputes through diplomatic channels.
The statement, reported by Sudan Tribune and Anadolu Agency, came after Ethiopian National Defense Force (#ENDF) Chief of General Staff Field Marshal #Birhanu_Jula accused Sudan, #Egypt and other foreign actors of supporting and supplying a newly formed coalition of Ethiopian armed and political groups.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59683
The Sudanese Armed Forces (#SAF) has rejected accusations by Ethiopia’s military chief that #Khartoum is supporting an alliance of armed and political groups opposed to the federal government, describing the claims as “baseless” and urging #Addis_Abeba to address disputes through diplomatic channels.
The statement, reported by Sudan Tribune and Anadolu Agency, came after Ethiopian National Defense Force (#ENDF) Chief of General Staff Field Marshal #Birhanu_Jula accused Sudan, #Egypt and other foreign actors of supporting and supplying a newly formed coalition of Ethiopian armed and political groups.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59683
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https://addisstandard.com/short-news/
Renewed fighting was reported in #Baidoa, the capital of #Somalia’s #South_West State, on Monday, 28 September, as forces aligned with former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched an offensive against positions held by federal government forces.
Renewed fighting was reported in #Baidoa, the capital of #Somalia’s #South_West State, on Monday, 28 September, as forces aligned with former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched an offensive against positions held by federal government forces.
#Op_ed: From Backlash to Verdict: Why #TPLF faces growing diplomatic scrutiny as #Pretoria framework strains #Tigray’s fragile peace
Renewed fighting in Tigray has triggered sharper international scrutiny of actions attributed to the TPLF, while governments continue to support the Pretoria peace framework, writes Mebratu Kelecha.
He explains that the #AU, #Britain, #France, and the #EU have specifically criticized airport seizures and attacks while also raising concerns about federal drone strikes and the protection of civilians.
The author notes that "backlash" does not amount to a unified judgment over who started the fighting, nor does it absolve either side of its obligations. Instead, he argues that the latest escalation has exposed unresolved disputes over security, federal authority, contested territories, and political administration.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59671
Renewed fighting in Tigray has triggered sharper international scrutiny of actions attributed to the TPLF, while governments continue to support the Pretoria peace framework, writes Mebratu Kelecha.
He explains that the #AU, #Britain, #France, and the #EU have specifically criticized airport seizures and attacks while also raising concerns about federal drone strikes and the protection of civilians.
The author notes that "backlash" does not amount to a unified judgment over who started the fighting, nor does it absolve either side of its obligations. Instead, he argues that the latest escalation has exposed unresolved disputes over security, federal authority, contested territories, and political administration.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59671
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News: #Abraham_Belay appointed nuclear commission commissioner, his sixth senior government post under #PM_Abiy
Addis Abeba — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Abraham Belay (Phd) as Commissioner of the #Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission, effective 14 September 2026, making it his sixth senior government post since Abiy came to power.
Belay had been serving as Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands since May 2024. He has previously held several senior positions under Abiy’s administration, including Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Electric Power, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Minister of Defense and Chief Executive of the Tigray Regional State Interim Administration.
https://addisstandard.com/brief/n-59696/
Addis Abeba — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Abraham Belay (Phd) as Commissioner of the #Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission, effective 14 September 2026, making it his sixth senior government post since Abiy came to power.
Belay had been serving as Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands since May 2024. He has previously held several senior positions under Abiy’s administration, including Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Electric Power, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Minister of Defense and Chief Executive of the Tigray Regional State Interim Administration.
https://addisstandard.com/brief/n-59696/
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https://addisstandard.com/brief/n-59699/
#Daily_Brief: #Saudi_Arabia, #Qatar, #Türkiye, #UK and #US discuss #Somalia’s security, territorial integrity
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States held talks in #New_York on Somalia’s security and stability, with discussions also focusing on protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
#Daily_Brief: #Saudi_Arabia, #Qatar, #Türkiye, #UK and #US discuss #Somalia’s security, territorial integrity
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States held talks in #New_York on Somalia’s security and stability, with discussions also focusing on protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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https://addisstandard.com/brief/n-59701/
#Daily_Brief: Somaliland president accuses #Türkiye, #Egypt of lobbying against recognition
#Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has accused #Türkiye, #Egypt and other governments of lobbying #African countries against recognizing Somaliland, as his administration pushes to expand international support for the territory’s bid for recognition. Irro did not identify the African governments he claimed had been considering recognition, nor provide evidence that Türkiye had pressured them to change their positions.
#Daily_Brief: Somaliland president accuses #Türkiye, #Egypt of lobbying against recognition
#Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has accused #Türkiye, #Egypt and other governments of lobbying #African countries against recognizing Somaliland, as his administration pushes to expand international support for the territory’s bid for recognition. Irro did not identify the African governments he claimed had been considering recognition, nor provide evidence that Türkiye had pressured them to change their positions.
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#In_depth_Analysis: #Tigray #IDPs face critical #malnutrition, severe medicine shortages amid humanitarian gaps
Disruptions to medicine supplies and nutrition services are increasing risks for vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tigray, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women.
Multiple interviews with IDPs, regional officials and pharmacists, as well as a letter and joint assessment report reviewed by #Addis_Standard, reveal a region grappling with a six-month disruption in medicine supplies and staggering levels of malnutrition, with reports of “babies dying within a very short period,” according to Ze Mechael Gebrehiwot, a father of six from Kafta Humera in Western Tigray.
While renewed conflict dominates attention and threatens to further overshadow the region’s humanitarian needs, malnutrition indicators remain elevated and nutrition treatment services face supply and infrastructure constraints.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59690
Disruptions to medicine supplies and nutrition services are increasing risks for vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tigray, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women.
Multiple interviews with IDPs, regional officials and pharmacists, as well as a letter and joint assessment report reviewed by #Addis_Standard, reveal a region grappling with a six-month disruption in medicine supplies and staggering levels of malnutrition, with reports of “babies dying within a very short period,” according to Ze Mechael Gebrehiwot, a father of six from Kafta Humera in Western Tigray.
While renewed conflict dominates attention and threatens to further overshadow the region’s humanitarian needs, malnutrition indicators remain elevated and nutrition treatment services face supply and infrastructure constraints.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=59690
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#Daily_Brief: #ICRC #Ethiopia evacuates 161 people from Mekelle to #Semera in #Afar
Those evacuated included Ethiopian Federal Police personnel, Ethiopian Airlines staff, Civil Aviation security personnel, African Union monitors and members of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
https://addisstandard.com/short-news/
Those evacuated included Ethiopian Federal Police personnel, Ethiopian Airlines staff, Civil Aviation security personnel, African Union monitors and members of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
https://addisstandard.com/short-news/
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