#Ethiopia: Agegnehu Teshager, the President of Amhara Regional State, said that the Amhara regional government passed a decision that grants the people of Amhara region the right to privately utilize weapons seized during the war against TPLF.
The Regional President emphasized on the existential threat posed by the TPLF to all Ethiopians, but argued that both the scale of damage and the effects are bigger in the Amhara and Afar regions. Agegnehu claimed that forces loyal to TPLF killed civilians, raped women, looted private and government properties in all areas it invaded.
Agegnehu argued that giving more time for TPLF will expose the residents of Amhara region to further atrocities and he called on people to devise all means necessary to fight off TPLF.
Source: AMC

Deputy Mayor Adanech said, “Indeed, with the help of God and the efforts of disaster prevention workers, thousands of lives have been saved. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the floods, and I assure you that, as always, our city administration and residents will stand by you in all respects.”
https://addisstandard.com/news-seven-dead-unspecified-number-injured-as-a-result-of-floods-in-addis-abeba-deputy-mayor-says-rescue-efforts-ongoing-promises-rehabilitation/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

According to the bulletin, out of the more than 538,000 people displaced in Benishangul Gumuz state, about 384,490 (71 per cent) are residing within Metekel, (270,684), Kamashi (95,989) and Assosa (17,817) Zones. The remaining 148,000 are displaced to the neighboring Awi (77,543) and Wellega (69,469) Zones. Following the peace agreement made between UAG and BGR Government, over 50,000 IDPs from Chagni Ranch collective site, Awi Zone of Amhara Region have been relocated to Dangur (18,880), Madura (15,142), Dibate (11,564) and Bulen (4,967) Woredas of Metekel Zone.
https://addisstandard.com/news-nearly-540000-displaced-in-benishangul-gumuz-1-4-m-people-in-snnpr-need-assistance-51000-secondary-displacement-in-wellega-oromia-un/

The blockchain research and engineering company behind the fifth largest crypto by market value is working with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education on developing a universal student credentialing system, set to launch in early autumn 2021.
https://addisstandard.com/innovation-heres-what-cardano-ada-has-been-up-to-with-the-ethiopia-project/?fbclid=IwAR3Bm35xcBjOAhb_9kGP5ati0AUuo6g9aLw2ZgxFQYXkINDe55AHIDNOMFk

According to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), DPM Demeke Mekonnen told the Special Envoy that the US should condemn TPLF’s attacks.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized on the role that attack on the Northern Command and the subsequent atrocities carried out by forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have contributed to the current crisis. He added that TPLF is currently committing serious human violations, in both Afar and Amhara states.

He accused the US government of having chosen to remain silent as the TPLF committed all these crimes and betrayals. Demeke argued that USA’s silence is unusual and incompatible with the relationship between the two brotherly countries according to the report.

The state news agency reported that Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman on his part said the US government understands the Ethiopian people’s views on the group/TPLF. He added that maintaining Ethiopia’s sovereignty, and ensuring its peace and unity remains a top foreign policy for the US government.
https://addisstandard.com/news-ethiopia-tells-us-special-envoy-to-the-region-to-condemn-tplf-special-envoy-says-peace-and-unity-in-ethiopia-remains-top-us-foreign-policy/

From 16 July to 15 August, 318 trucks with humanitarian supplies entered Tigray. This is a fraction of the required humanitarian cargo to meet the mounting needs.

Humanitarian operations are also severely affected by lack of stocks, cash, banking services, fuel and telecommunications. Transport of ICT equipment is still prohibited.
https://addisstandard.com/news-a-fraction-of-required-humanitarian-cargo-entering-tigray-whereas-air-service-for-staff-rotation-improved-un/

Ambassador Dina Mufti, the Spokesperson of the Ministry Foreign Affairs (MoFA), gave the ministry’s biweekly press briefing today, August 18, 2021 to local and international media where he discussed top political, economic and citizen-centered diplomacy agendas.https://addisstandard.com/news-ethiopian-diplomacy-in-good-shape-says-amb-dina-mufti-in-bi-weekly-press-briefing/

Today the Federal High Court, Lideta Branch, First Constitutional and Anti-Terrorism Bench reject the bail application of 21 top TPLF leaders who are under federal police custody. https://addisstandard.com/news-fed-court-denies-bail-request-to-jailed-tplf-senior-officials-orders-arrest-of-defendants-at-large/

#Ethiopia: #Russia says "declaring truce the only way to end the bloodshed and improve the humanitarian situation" in Ethiopia

"We are following developments in Ethiopia, where clashes between the government army and the Tigray People's Liberation Front have become more frequent," said a statement attributed to Maria Zakharova, Spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"Both sides declaring a truce is the only way to end the bloodshed and improve the humanitarian situation," the statement,, issued on the official Twitter account of the Ministry, said.
https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1428372697612967936...
Picture: Russian MoFA

" Now is the time to put an end to the suffering, " António Guterres
The Secretary General of the UN, "calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the country, unrestricted humanitarian access, and the creation of conditions to launch an Ethiopian-led political dialogue,"
Source: The United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)

The Administrator of The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power, in a statement released yesterday, discussing the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, urged forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to halt its hostilities in neighboring regions, Amhara regional government as well as the Eritrean government to withdraw from Tigray region. She also called for all parties to the conflict to secure humanitarian corridors and ensure the safety of aid workers.

The statement discussed the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region. It read, “In Tigray, where hundreds of thousands are facing famine, food warehouses are virtually empty. This week, for the first time in nine months of conflict, aid workers will run out of food to distribute to the millions of people who are going hungry. USAID and its partners as well as other humanitarian organizations have depleted their stores of food items warehoused in Tigray.”
https://addisstandard.com/news-two-days-after-visit-by-special-envoy-to-the-horn-of-africa-usaid-chief-reiterate-call-to-end-hostilities-start-dialogue/