The ‘Freedom From Slavery Forum’ was held inside the UNECA headquarters this week. The gathering had leading anti-human trafficking and modern slavery activists and civil society leaders and has discussed a wide range of issues to combat human trafficking and modern slavery.

Pursuant to an agreement signed between the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to renovate the symbolic Africa Hall, the government of Ethiopia has granted an additional plot of 3,100 square meters of land to incorporate the renovation and preservation of the Africa Hall together with the ongoing Beautifying Sheger Project.

Anxious about what would happen once Ethiopia’s population doubles in 2050, a group of professionals and academics have decided to air their concerns and make recommendations on the required approaches to abate the socioeconomic misfortune that might befall the country in the coming thirty years because of an impending uncontrolled population explosion, The Reporter has learnt.   

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released its report on “Ending Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking in Global Supply Chains”.

Red Cross International is set to introduce a two year test project – an e-voucher – to help distribute direct cash and e-Voucher assistances in rural and vulnerable communities. 

Open Society Foundations (OSF) has delayed its long belated Addis Ababa office opening, which was supposed to have been opened in August, over “logistic” issues, The Reporter has learnt.

Ethiopia has been elected as a member of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for a four year term. This took place during the 22nd General Assembly of the World Heritage Convention in Paris, France.

With a population of 1.2 billion Africa represents only less than three percent of the global air passenger traffic. The passenger traffic on intra-Africa routes is thin. Air connectivity is under developed. Passengers from Africa to travel to another African country may have to transit in European cities.

With an aim to “ensuring Ethiopia has a vibrant media sector capable of supporting the development and peace building agendas of the country,” the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ethiopia Liaison office, is discussing with various media stakeholders in order to establish media sector coordination platform.

 Despite much stride made to end discrimination against girls, a new report released by Plan International in Ethiopia highlighted how “Millions of African girls face exclusion and exploitation on a daily basis because the law discriminates against them and fails to uphold their rights”.