Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Ethiopia’s healthcare system is facing a nationwide crisis as a full-scale strike by health professionals entered its sixth day on Monday, severely disrupting services at major hospitals in Addis Abeba and regional states. The strike, organized by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement, has escalated into a full work stoppage, affecting outpatient care, diagnostics, and specialized units. At hospitals such as Yekatit 12, Menelik II, and Zewditu Memorial in Addis Abeba, nearly all services apart from emergency and critical care have been halted. Patients waited outside closed wards and labs, with few staff visible and administrative offices shuttered. Similar walkouts have…

Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has named international legal expert Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as the new prime minister, filling a key leadership vacuum for the first time since January 2022. The announcement comes alongside the appointment of two women—Salma Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak and Nawara Abu Muhammad Taher—to the transitional Sovereign Council, signaling a reshuffle aimed at broadening representation in the transitional government. Idris, born in Omdurman, is a prominent Sudanese figure best known for his tenure as Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to 2008. He also served as secretary-general of the International Union…

Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports plunged by over 50% in 2024 following the European Union’s enforcement of tougher regulations on pesticide residue, according to the latest Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The volume of vegetables exported fell from 164,100 tonnes in 2023 to just 74,300 tonnes in 2024 — a 54.7% decline — with export earnings dropping from KSh 50.9 billion to KSh 23.4 billion (roughly USD 340 million to USD 156 million). This comes amid a broader decline in horticultural exports, attributed to increasingly restrictive European market standards and logistical challenges at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International…

A tragic road accident in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State has claimed the lives of 19 people and left 13 others injured, local authorities confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in the town of Gilgel Beles, Metekel Zone, around 9:15 a.m. on 18 May. According to Taye Gurmesa, head of the Gilgel Beles Police Department, the accident involved a heavy vehicle transporting an excavator from Chagni town. The truck, with license plate ET 17196, reportedly lost control due to brake failure as it approached the town’s entrance, ultimately crashing through the fence of a local recreation facility and causing mass casualties…

Families of Ethiopian victims of the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash have expressed deep anger and disappointment following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is considering a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing — a deal that could shield the company from criminal accountability. The 10 March 2019 disaster, which killed all 157 people on board Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, was one of two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max model that exposed serious flaws in the aircraft’s automated flight control systems. The two crashes together claimed 346 lives and led to the global grounding…

The Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied Joint Force units have regained control of the Al-Atrun Oasis, a key location near the Sudan-Libya-Chad border triangle, following a coordinated military operation launched over the weekend. Darfur Regional Governor Minni Arko Minawi, who also heads the Joint Force overseeing the operation, announced the successful offensive on Sunday, hailing it as a significant victory against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “Our heroes in the Armed Forces and the Joint Forces have liberated the strategic Al-Atrun area from the grip of the terrorist RSF militia,” Minawi wrote on social media platform X. “Victory…

Zanzibar will take center stage in Africa’s aviation sector as it prepares to host the prestigious AviaDev Africa summit from June 11 to 13. The high-level event is set to attract over 500 delegates, including representatives from 48 airlines, 20 international airports, global tourism investors, and aircraft manufacturers. Organized by the Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) in collaboration with the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (ZCT), the summit will focus on fostering air connectivity across the continent and unlocking new route development opportunities for both African and international carriers. Mr. Seif Abdallah Juma, Director General of ZAA, highlighted that the event aims…

In a significant show of international unity, the African Union, United Nations, and Arab League have pledged to coordinate their efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, while firmly rejecting any moves to establish a parallel government in the country. During a high-level consultative meeting on the sidelines of the Arab League Summit in Baghdad on May 16, the heads of the three organizations issued a joint statement calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the preservation of Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. The leaders agreed to strengthen coordination based on…

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most influential foreign players, pouring billions into critical infrastructure, energy, and resource-rich sectors across the continent. As traditional powers like the United States and China reduce their financial footprints, the UAE is stepping in — not only as a commercial actor, but also as a strategic powerbroker shaping the continent’s future. From massive port investments in Somaliland and Algeria to renewable energy projects in Ethiopia, Togo, Uganda, and beyond, Emirati firms are securing a long-term presence. Major state-backed entities such as DP World, AMEA Power, and the Abu Dhabi…

At least 20 people were killed and more than a dozen wounded on Sunday morning when a suicide bomber targeted a military recruitment center in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, in an attack claimed by the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab. The blast occurred at the Damaanyo military base in the capital’s Hodan district, where hundreds of youth had gathered to enlist in the Somali National Army. The bomber was intercepted near the entrance before reaching the main crowd but detonated his explosives, killing 15 recruits and five nearby civilians. Local hospitals reported that several of the wounded are in critical condition, with…

Ethiopia arrested at least seven journalists in April 2025, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as authorities enacted new media legislation that critics say expands government control and threatens press freedom. One of those detained is Ahmed Awga, founder of Jigjiga Television Network, who was jailed after airing an interview in which a grieving father blamed police for the death of his teenage son. Awga faces incitement charges and has been held without trial for over three weeks. The arrests come shortly after Ethiopia’s parliament passed amendments to the 2021 media law, giving the government more influence over…

Türkiye Scholarship committees are visiting over 50 African countries to interview finalists for the 2025 academic year. The program, which offers fully funded higher education in Türkiye, currently supports over 70,000 African students and aims to strengthen Türkiye-Africa ties through education and long-term cooperation. Türkiye’s prestigious government-funded scholarship program has entered its final phase of candidate selection, with official interview committees currently touring over 50 African countries, including Togo and Benin. These visits mark a pivotal moment in the competitive process to identify successful applicants for the 2025 academic year. In Togo and Benin, dozens of shortlisted students recently met…

Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for expelling the majority of its consular staff from Dubai without providing an official reason, calling the move a serious violation of international diplomatic norms. In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry said the incident breaches the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, which guarantee immunity and protection for foreign diplomats. According to Sudanese officials, the diplomats were held for over eight hours at Dubai International Airport after completing exit procedures, during which they were interrogated and had their phones and laptops confiscated. Sudan described…

The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has categorically denied the authenticity of a leaked document that claims USAID is funding political opposition parties ahead of the country’s 2025 general elections. The document, labeled “Mission – Tanzania 2025 Elections Action Plan,” alleges that U.S. development aid is being channeled to Tanzanian opposition parties such as CHADEMA and ACT-Wazalendo under the guise of promoting democracy. It outlines activities including election observation, civic education programs, and a so-called crisis response plan managed by the U.S. Embassy’s Election Working Group. In a statement issued Friday, the U.S. Embassy dismissed the document as false and misleading.…

Somalia is reportedly on the verge of signing a security agreement with Iraq, a move raising alarms over potential Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) involvement in East Africa, regional intelligence sources indicate. A high-level Somali delegation, led by National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali “Sanbaloolshe,” is expected to travel to Baghdad under the diplomatic cover of the Arab League Summit this weekend. Sanbaloolshe, a dual Somali-British national, is reportedly set to hold discussions with senior Iraqi security officials and representatives linked to the IRGC’s elite Quds Force. The proposed agreement, which follows a visit by Iraqi…

Ethiopia’s National Election Board (NEBE) has announced the second phase of its digital polling station registration initiative, a key step in preparations for the country’s 7th general elections, expected in 2026. In a statement issued this week, the Board said the process aims to modernize the electoral framework by utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to digitally register polling stations using precise XY coordinate mapping. This data-driven approach is intended to enhance accessibility, ensure legal compliance, and improve voter experience. “The second phase, launched on May 11, covers over 9,600 polling stations across South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, South-West Ethiopia, and…