Asrat Seyoum

Ethiopians take pride in their diversity. Indeed, Ethiopia is truly a diverse country made up of indigenous people having different languages, cultures, religions and other identity-markers.

In the middle of an eventful week, where the Ethiopian government has announced the completion of the first stage filling of the reservoir behind the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and a major breakthrough in the negotiations mediated by the African Union (AU); the administration of Donald Trump is reported to be severely divided regarding the US foreign policy towards the region and a proposed aid cut to Ethiopia in support of Egypt over the GERD issue.

In connection with the recent violence that erupted following the killing of Hachalu Hundessa in the capital Addis Ababa, two satellite television service providers, which are widely-used in Ethiopia, Eutelsat and DSTV have taken measures to block two Ethiopian broadcasters, Tigrai TV and Dimtsi Woyane TV, this week.

The remains of celebrated artist and political activist Hachalu Hundessa was laid to rest on Thursday, July 2, 2020 in his birth place Ambo, Eyesus Gedam Church, some 120 kilometers west of Addis Ababa. The 36-year-old was gunned down on Monday evening in the vicinity of Gelan condominium, located in Akakai Kality Sub City, in Addis Ababa, and was taken to Tirunesh Beijing Hospital, where doctors tried to save his life but failed.

It is amazing how a seemingly innocuous influenza-like infection first detected in a regular wet market in Wuhan, China, last December has come so far as to having a profound impact on the global community; in less than 6 months, nonetheless.

The rampage of the notorious COVID-19 virus has now reached 181 countries around the world. The number of people infected has surpassed one million as of Thursday, April 2, 2020, claiming the lives of 55,000 people world-wide.

Having its roots in the early days of the Ethiopian student movement, ethnic politics have been the dominant form of political mobilization in the country for close to a quarter of a century, now.

Propelled by his recent Nobel Peace Prize, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) is once more on a peacemaking mission. Only this time, the PM has taken up one of the most complicated political problems in the continent, which is bringing peace and unity to the Somali lands of the Horn of Africa.

The emergence of low-cost, condominium housing in Ethiopia’s capital has really changed the way people live in this old nation. Strictly speaking most of these residential condominiums, which are structured as a series of apartment buildings sharing a common area and most of the time enclosed in gated compounds, are evolving to be unique urban centers.

Ethiopia, a democracy in the making, and has been for the past three decades, is preparing for what is thought to be a memorable election: the national election of 2020. In preparation for the election the brand new National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) under the former self-exiled politician and judge, Birtukan Midekssa, looks to be grasping at straws to make the August 16 timetable.