Opinion:The new era of transformation in #Ethiopia & the Elephant in the room addisstandard.com/opinion-the-ne… With PM #AbiyAhmed,the age of freedom has begun in earnest,but no decent analysis of Ethiopian politics is complete without the talk of the Elephant in the room-Identity politics
#Ethiopia: "Identity politics is, I submit, a secular variation to the religious notion of worshiping the wrong idols. It usually emerges from the place of arrogance, deceit and resentment and is fundamentally driven by a toxic sense of victimhood." Kebadu Mekonnen, (PhD)
#Ethiopia: "For a republic worthy of its name to emerge and a genuine civic solidarity to take root in Ethiopia, I believe that we need a constitutional amendment prohibiting the founding of political parties on the basis of ethnicity or religion," Kebadu Mekonnen, (PhD)
"...the architects of this new era of transformation, must recognize that they can only take us to the walls of Jericho. Their truly heroic act carried us through the storm, and the spirit of hope that they helped rekindle has the ability to weather another political storm."
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#Ethiopia-#Eritrea:PM #AbiyAhmed makes unannounced visit to Port #Massawa & #Assab today, ETV & FanaBc said. It follows last night's announcement that an Ethiopian commercial ship was scheduled to dock in in port Massawa after 20 yrs. PM Abiy was welcomed by Pres. Isaias Afwerki.
Update: PM #AbiyAhmed visited port #Assab & the 71km long road which stretches from #Ethiopian border to the port. He is also expected to visit port of Massawa this afternoon
Update: PM #AbiyAhmed will have two days of official visit to #Eritrea during which he will also travel to the capital #Asmara and "will hold extensive discussions with President Isaias Afwerki to assess and expedite implementation of the agreement of 9 July," @hawelti said.
Breaking: 18 people, (15 military & 3 civilians) were killed when a military helicopter crashed. The helicopter was flying from Dire Dawa to Bishoftu. It clashed near Lumee Ejereetti wereda in east shewa zone, @addisu_arega said. Addisu didn't mention the cause of the accident
Update: The helicopter belonged to the Ethiopian Air Force and the 15 military personnel were members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), according to FanaBC. Please see map for location of the crash.
Update: According to this letter from Defense Ministry indoctrination & PR division bureau, the flight No. 808 helicopter was on duty during the accident and crashed 20 minutes away from its destination in Bishiftu. The Ethiopia Air Force said the accident was being investigated.
#Ethiopia: "Former Chief Administrator of #Ethiopia-n Somali Regional State, Abdi Mohamed Omer, has been arrested." government affiliated @fanatelevision reported.
Update: The federal attorney general's office said Abdi Iley is arrested on suspicion of gross human rights violations as well as instigating ethnic & religious violence, the state broadcaster ETV says. The police is also arresting other individuals suspected of links with him
Update: The police have said they have found five Kalashnikov and four pistols at the house where former #Somali state president Abdi Iley was arrested earlier. The fire arms were placed under police jurisdiction.
Gerd Müller, #German Minister for Economic Cooperation & Dev't will be meeting Amira Elfadil, Acting Chairperson of the #AUC & Commissioner of Social Affairs on issues, among others, German support to #Agenda2063 with a focus on regional integration, employment,& peace & security
Update: Gerd Müller is also expected to meet with Abraham Tekeste, Minister of Finance & Economic Cooperation, tomorrow afternoon & discuss on issues, among others, business environment, fostering econ development & job creation for Ethiopia's burgeoning youth #Germany#Ethiopia
#German minister pushes for free trade deal ahead of #Africa trip p.dw.com/p/33Ul9?maca=e…
Germany’s development minister Gerd Müller is promoting a "customs-free trade deal in Africa" ahead of his seven-nation Africa visit. Experts say the real issues are being ignored.
#Ethiopia: The ongoing meeting in #AddisAbeba by executive & council members of #ESPDP, as well as leaders of various clans have unanimously decided to assign Mustafa Muhumed Omer to be the incoming acting president of the #Somali regional state until elections are held in 2020.
Update: It is expected that the meeting's unanimous decision to assign Mustafa will be a final decision that will see him assume the position as acting presidnet, which is currently held by Ahmed Abdi Mohammed (pic) after the resignation of the embattled ex president Abdi Illey
Update: Mustafa is born in 1973 in #Degahbour, #Somali regional state. He is a well known critic of Abdi Illey's iron fist in the region & the rampant abuse of human rights by the Liyu police. An economist by training, he has a Masters of Science degree in Agricultural Economics
Breaking: In a statement it sent to local media, #Ethiopia's state monopoly Ethiotelecom announced a major discount on its multiple services. As per the new discount: the monopoly reduced 54% on broadband internet; 43% on mobile data & SMS services; & 40% on telephone voice calls
Update: The decision was taken by the newly appointed CEO, Frehiwot Tamiru.
Update: Ethiotelecom, which is often blamed for poor quality but expensive prices for all its services, is one of the key state owned enterprises that the June 2018 EPRDF executive committee meeting decided to sale majority shares. See background story addisstandard.com/news-update-et…