ETHIOPIA: Clashes in Amhara & more – 29th Feb 2024

Salaam salaam from BA! This is the Rorshok Ethiopia Update from the 29th of February twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Ethiopia.

Let’s start this week’s episode with the conflict in the Amhara region. In July last year, clashes erupted between the government’s defense forces and Fano, a popular youth movement. Even though fighting has somewhat tempered and there are efforts for peaceful dialogue, reports have come out recently saying that fighting is well underway in certain parts of the region, especially in east and west Gojam. On Tuesday the 27th, the government said that it had managed to ‘eliminate’ more than a hundred and fifty Fano militants over the weekend. Numerous roads crossing the region have been closed. Even though the government affirms there is relative peace, residents say they don’t feel safe.

Speaking of the conflict, Amnesty International issued a report on Monday the 26th asking for extra-judicial killings to stop and government officers responsible for such murders to be held accountable. In the report, the organization outlined that the number of extra-judicial killings has increased in the region, recalling that in late July last year six civilians were brutally murdered in Amahara’s capital city Bahir Dar. Amnesty called on the Ethiopian government to investigate violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Recall that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has also released reports expressing concern over the situation in the region. However, the government hasn’t commented on these issues.

On Tuesday the 27th, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council issued a press release, asking the government to adopt the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, a UN’s human rights instrument to prevent forced disappearance. The Council also called on the executive to pay attention to kidnapping, abductions, and killings being carried out all over the country and hold perpetrators accountable. The press release comes a week after four priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church serving at the historic monastery of Zequala in the East Shewa Zone of the Oromia region were tragically killed. The Oromia Peace and Security Bureau confirmed the attack and casualties and accused the Oromo Liberation Army, a terrorist organization, of these atrocious acts. The Church had repeatedly called on the government to provide protection to prevent such attacks.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was in Kenya this week for his first-ever trip to the neighboring country after William Ruto, the current Kenyan president, came to power. Relations between the two deteriorated after President Ruto talked about mediation on the conflict between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. However, It appears that relations have improved now after efforts on both sides. Abiy went to Kenya on Monday, the 26th, for a three-day visit. During his stay, Abiy went to a power conversion station through which Ethiopia transfers electricity to Kenya. Before Abiy’s visit, there were also talks about how he would discuss access to the Red Sea via Kenya’s Lamu Port. However, there have been no updates on this topic from either side.

Following PM Abiy's visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement addressing several issues. They declared that the peace and stability of the African continent are important prerequisites for economic growth and development. They also said that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries must be respected and that unconstitutional coup d'etats and unwarranted foreign intervention in local affairs must be denounced. Aside from these, the two leaders expressed their commitment to enhancing partnership in trade and investment.

While PM Abiy was visiting Kenya, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia's president, was in Nairobi to attend a UN environmental protection meeting. It isn't known whether or not President Mohamud and PM Abiy discussed the issue of the port lease agreement with Somaliland. Somalia is disgruntled over this deal and tensions are rising between the two countries.

Before Abiy went to Kenya, he was busy at home. The Council of Ministers convened for another regular session on Saturday the 24th. The Council had a lot on its plate - it approved loan deals with the World Bank and the Italian government worth more than thirty billion birr or more than six hundred million US dollars. One of these loans from the World Bank is for more than fifteen billion birr or three hundred million US dollars, which is set to be used to roll out the National Digital ID.

The Council of Ministers approved and referred all deals to the House of People’s Representatives for ratification. The Council gave the green light to the Ministry of Mines to conclude four mining agreements with various private companies. The Prime Minister’s office said that the companies part of the deal are set to receive licenses to extract coal, granite, bromite, and gold.

On that note about mining, the government authorized data mining in the country back in twenty twenty-two, and data miners from other countries have been setting up shop in Ethiopia due to low electricity costs. Last Wednesday the 21st, the Ethiopian Electric Power said that it has agreed to supply power to twenty-five data miners. The agreement is especially lucrative because the data miners have agreed to pay for electric supply in foreign currency, which the country is in dire need of. The cheques have already begun hitting as two of these four active miners have paid the company more than a hundred and ten million birr or more than two million US dollars, while the other two are expected to start paying next month.

The Ethiopian Electric Power was in the news again this week as it announced that it has completed negotiations to sell electricity to Tanzania. The company's CEO said that they are waiting for the government to give the go-ahead to sign the agreement. He added that since the electricity is going to be transmitted through Kenya, further investment is required to fix the network there. He explained that Kenya and Tanzania have agreed on electricity transfer and that Ethiopia won't pay Kenya for the transmission to Tanzania. Ethiopia is already exporting two hundred megawatts of power and this is set to increase to four hundred megawatts. The CEO said that in the next five years, the company plans to extend its power export reach as far as South Africa.

Ethiopian Airlines, has announced that it has added yet another destination in Africa. The company’s CEO said that starting from May this year, the airline will fly three times a week to Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, via Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou. He also said that aside from being another exciting destination, the addition of this flight is set to enhance tourism, trade and investment between the three countries. The airline said it is going to deploy its Boeing 787-800 aircraft for this flight.

And to close this edition, this Saturday the 2nd of March is the annual holiday of the Adwa Victory in which Ethiopians triumphed over the Italian army invading the country trying to colonize it. This year marks the hundred and twenty-eighth anniversary of the iconic battle which took place in Adwa, in the Tigray region. The victory has served as a symbol of resistance against colonization and racism.

Abebaw Tadesse, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Defence Force General, said that the day will be celebrated at the recently inaugurated Adwa Memorial at the heart of Addis. Abebaw also said there will be other events, including a military parade, to commemorate the victory.

Aaaaand that’s it for this week.

Do you know that besides the Ethiopia Update, we also do others? Our latest ones are the Arctic Update, about the area north of the Arctic Circle, the Ocean Update, about the 70% of the earth covered in salt water, and the Multilateral update about all the world's major multilateral institutions. The other ones are all country updates, we have a selection of countries from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Check rorshok.com/updates to see the full list. We left the link in the show notes as well.

Ciao!