As the seat of the headquarters of the Africa Union (AU) and many international and continental organizations, Addis Ababa is considered by many as the “Diplomatic Capital” of Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought down the airline industry to its knees. Globally, more than 13,000 aircraft are grounded and many airlines have declared bankruptcy.

This week, Amnesty International released a damning report on the status of human rights in Ethiopia. It highlights some of the positive reforms that have taken place in the last few years, but also focuses on the “horrendous human rights violations in inter-communal clashes and armed skirmishes”.

Leah Mehari is the head of Students Career Development Unit, CLGS at Addis Ababa University as well as an assistant lecturer of its School of Law.

Suraphel Mathewos Alemu is a young medical doctor based in the capital. He is also the co-founder of a new organization that is intent on promoting public health within Ethiopia

In the era of COVID-19, the head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Julien Lerisson, converses with Samuel Getachew of The Reporter on the ICRC’s recent effort to help curb the devastation of the virus, on the history of the organization, how it has affected its operation and on some of the efforts in the Somali region where ICRC returned two years ago after more than a decade of absence. Excerpts:

It has been months since COVID-19 impacted the globe in so many ways. This pandemic is challenging the world’s social, economic and political order.

In the midst of COVID-19, the Jack Ma Foundation has stood out for its timely and swift assistance in contributing needed and scarce medical supplies to many nations, including to Ethiopia.

In the midst of the novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), the World Health Organization’s Ethiopia country representative, Boureima Hama Sambo, reflects with Samuel Getachew of The Reporter on the work of the internatioal entiry in Ethiopia, on the challenges, on how to be best prepared and the support it provides. Excerpts:

Eskinder Nega is the founder and chairman of Balderas for True Democracy, a recently formed political party, a noted political activist as well as an award winning journalist.