news

Ethiopia

Followers

Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts

Sudanese military says repelled attack by Ethiopian forces along border

Sudanese military says repelled attack by Ethiopian forces along border

The Sudanese Armed Forces in a statement said on Monday that it repelled an attack by Ethiopian forces at the Anfal site in the eastern bank of the Atbara River in the Al-Fashqa area.

the Military statement posted by the armed forces on its Facebook page, indicated that it “responded to an attack by some components of the Ethiopian forces at the Anfal site, and the aggressors suffered great losses, and returned them in their wake.”

“The armed forces affirm their right to defend their lands by all legitimate means and will remain vigilant and determined to fulfill their duty to protect the land of Sudan and its borders.” The Statement said

On Sunday, RT Arabic reported that Sudan confronted an attack by the Ethiopian forces at a military camp along the border.

While in in late May 2020 the border region between Sudan and Ethiopia witnessed military tension, as clashes took place between Ethiopian gunmen, backed by the military, and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Sudan and Egypt are also involved in a conflict with Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam; this has been at the forefront of the tensions between the three African nations.

According to the related reports, Major General Nasr al-Deen Abd al-Qayyum, governor of Sudan's eastern Gadaref province, said while the Sudanese armed forces had on Sunday "successfully fended off an attack by Ethiopian forces, there were no losses in the Sudanese army except for a slight injury to one soldier," the governor said in a statement to Turkish news agency Anadolu without further details.

Earlier on Sunday, Sudan's irrigation and water resources minister, Yasser Abbas, told reporters that Sudan did not want any "escalation" of hostilities between dam-builder Ethiopia and fellow Nile river countries Sudan and Egypt.

"Negotiations are the only solution," Abbas said. "Signing an agreement is a prerequisite for us before filling the dam. Sudan has the right to demand it."

Tensions over the Nile river dam have escalated in recent days after renewed negotiations failed produce an agreement over its filling.

Sudan says calling for resumption of new negotiation with Egypt and Ethiopia after the US-led mediation effort collapsed earlier this year.
The Sudanese Armed Forces in a statement said on Monday that it repelled an attack by Ethiopian forces at the Anfal site in the eastern bank of the Atbara River in the Al-Fashqa area.

the Military statement posted by the armed forces on its Facebook page, indicated that it “responded to an attack by some components of the Ethiopian forces at the Anfal site, and the aggressors suffered great losses, and returned them in their wake.”

“The armed forces affirm their right to defend their lands by all legitimate means and will remain vigilant and determined to fulfill their duty to protect the land of Sudan and its borders.” The Statement said

On Sunday, RT Arabic reported that Sudan confronted an attack by the Ethiopian forces at a military camp along the border.

While in in late May 2020 the border region between Sudan and Ethiopia witnessed military tension, as clashes took place between Ethiopian gunmen, backed by the military, and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Sudan and Egypt are also involved in a conflict with Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam; this has been at the forefront of the tensions between the three African nations.

According to the related reports, Major General Nasr al-Deen Abd al-Qayyum, governor of Sudan's eastern Gadaref province, said while the Sudanese armed forces had on Sunday "successfully fended off an attack by Ethiopian forces, there were no losses in the Sudanese army except for a slight injury to one soldier," the governor said in a statement to Turkish news agency Anadolu without further details.

Earlier on Sunday, Sudan's irrigation and water resources minister, Yasser Abbas, told reporters that Sudan did not want any "escalation" of hostilities between dam-builder Ethiopia and fellow Nile river countries Sudan and Egypt.

"Negotiations are the only solution," Abbas said. "Signing an agreement is a prerequisite for us before filling the dam. Sudan has the right to demand it."

Tensions over the Nile river dam have escalated in recent days after renewed negotiations failed produce an agreement over its filling.

Sudan says calling for resumption of new negotiation with Egypt and Ethiopia after the US-led mediation effort collapsed earlier this year.

How Four African countries, including Nigeria are ‘particularly vulnerable’ to COVID-19 - Report

How Four African countries, including Nigeria are ‘particularly vulnerable’ to COVID-19 - Report

Cape Town — South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sudan are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, says a new survey of factors contributing to the risks which the pandemic poses to African nations.

The seven countries of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Uganda, Egypt and the Central African Republic are the next most vulnerable, according to research done by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC, a research institution within the United States Department of Defense.

It is worth noting that the top four countries named by the survey as most vulnerable to COVID-19 are all dealing with intransigent conflicts, as are most of the next seven most vulnerable. For years, African scholars and peace advocates have been calling attention to the link between violent conflict and social inequities, and the same combination of factors favors the spread of diseases.

Paralleling the conclusions of African peacebuilding researchers, the survey says that one of nine risk factors – conflict magnitude – magnifies the other risks:

Armed conflict disrupts public health systems in affected areas and limits access to basic goods like food, water, and medical supplies.

The degree of intensity and geographic spread of conflict shapes the level of disruption caused for a society.

Conflict-affected populations are also often starting from higher levels of vulnerability with fewer resource buffers than other populations, making the impact of exposure to an infectious disease all the more severe.

The center’s study evaluates the vulnerability of each of the continent’s nations in nine risk categories: international exposure, the strength of their public health systems, the density of their urban areas, the total population in urban areas, the age of the population, the transparency of their governments, the press freedom they enjoy, levels of conflict and the numbers of displaced people.The other eight risks identified are international exposures, health system weaknesses, urban density, size of urban populations, population age, transparency of governance, press freedom and numbers of displaced peoples.

The risks which the most vulnerable countries face highlights “the importance of trying to identify and limit the spread of the SARS-CoV2 (corona) virus at the early stages, before it becomes entrenched in the high density urban or displaced person areas”, the center says.

Three of the most vulnerable countries – Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan – have made potentially significant progress at conflict resolution, or have had successes despite ongoing conflict. The victory against an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo this year, despite militia activity that killed both United Nations peacekeepers and health workers, was regarded as remarkable among both political and medical analysts. South Sudan negotiated peace between competing armies for control of the government, and ‘people power’ in Sudan toppled a long-lived despotic ruler who had been convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The survey says that the limited exposure of the three countries to international travellers gives them “a brief window to ramp up containment measures”. The hope of reformers and peace activists is that the same popular determination and courageous actions by Africans in each of those nations can be brought to the efforts against COVID-19. Only Nigeria – of the most at-risk countries – has had high rates of international travel. The majority of Nigeria’s identified cases so far were brought across borders by international travelers or Nigerians returning from abroad, or were among people who were exposed to them, who were found through contact tracing.

Key to efforts at containment, says the survey, “will be enhanced and transparent public communications regarding COVID-19, public health guidance, and candid information about what the government is doing and what individuals should do if they exhibit symptoms. For some of these countries, given their constricted space for sharing information, this will require significantly improved levels of transparency and space for independent media.”

Turning to the seven countries next most vulnerable, the center says they, also, among the African countries with less international exposure. But they need to mitigate areas of risk and draw on areas of strength.

The study says that, initially, international exposure, the size of urban populations and a nation’s capacity to test for the virus will determine the number of cases which are reported. It adds that “subsequent stages [in the spread of the virus] are likely to also exploit other vulnerabilities such as weak health systems, densities of urban populations, conflict, size of displaced populations, trust in government, and openness of communications channels”.

The center points to the fact that the number of cases reported, as opposed to the actual numbers of people infected, will depend on the strength of a country’s public health system. “In fact,” it says, “cases of the coronavirus may be widespread elsewhere, though they are not identified and reported.”

Looking beyond nations with relatively higher numbers of reported cases, it says that despite not having Africa’s largest urban populations, countries in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions “appear to be at high risk for severe outbreaks”. It urges that attention be given in those countries to densely- populated cities and towns, to supporting public health systems and being transparent with the public.

” However, each country faces a unique mix of vulnerabilities that will require a customized response.”

” Much remains unknown about the trajectory of the transmission of COVID-19 in Africa. Many fear that with its high levels of poverty, weak health systems, and crowded urban areas, the virus could be particularly devastating. Others hope that with its warmer climate, youthful population, and experience fighting infectious disease, that Africa will be able to avoid the worst of the pandemic.”

” African urban areas are often remarkably densely populated, creating conditions where viruses can spread quickly and undetected in crowded informal settlements. Urban density is characteristic even of relatively sparsely populated countries in the Sahel, where the concentration of human settlements in capital cities creates high levels of vulnerability. A similar pattern is seen in South Sudan, where inhabited areas average 8,730 people per square kilometer. Urban layouts and architectures in these locations are similar to the compacted towns of Spain and Italy, where the virus has hit Europe the hardest to date.”

” Built-up areas across much of Africa have higher population densities than those in Europe and the United States. Influenza transmission rates in India have been found to increase above a population density of 282 people per square kilometer. The density of many built-up areas in Africa is over five times this threshold.”

” Stay-at-home orders will be particularly difficult to maintain in African cities where many residents lack adequate shelter, sanitation, and the monetary means to stock up on supplies and to stop work.”

” Approximately 80 percent of COVID-19 fatalities have been among people over the age of 60. With 70 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 30, Africa’s youth bulge may be a buffer against the most devastating human costs of the disease on the continent.”
” The benefits of a more youthful population, however, will need to be balanced against other underlying health factors facing many African populations such as malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.”

” Refugees and internally displaced populations may be congregated in large camps with inadequate access to water, soap, or sanitation. Health services are often overstretched and inaccessible. The close quarters typical of such settlements greatly facilitates the spread of any infection once it is introduced. Eighty-five percent of Africa’s 25 million forcibly displaced persons are concentrated in 8 countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Cameroon.”

Cape Town — South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sudan are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, says a new survey of factors contributing to the risks which the pandemic poses to African nations.

The seven countries of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Uganda, Egypt and the Central African Republic are the next most vulnerable, according to research done by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC, a research institution within the United States Department of Defense.

It is worth noting that the top four countries named by the survey as most vulnerable to COVID-19 are all dealing with intransigent conflicts, as are most of the next seven most vulnerable. For years, African scholars and peace advocates have been calling attention to the link between violent conflict and social inequities, and the same combination of factors favors the spread of diseases.

Paralleling the conclusions of African peacebuilding researchers, the survey says that one of nine risk factors – conflict magnitude – magnifies the other risks:

Armed conflict disrupts public health systems in affected areas and limits access to basic goods like food, water, and medical supplies.

The degree of intensity and geographic spread of conflict shapes the level of disruption caused for a society.

Conflict-affected populations are also often starting from higher levels of vulnerability with fewer resource buffers than other populations, making the impact of exposure to an infectious disease all the more severe.

The center’s study evaluates the vulnerability of each of the continent’s nations in nine risk categories: international exposure, the strength of their public health systems, the density of their urban areas, the total population in urban areas, the age of the population, the transparency of their governments, the press freedom they enjoy, levels of conflict and the numbers of displaced people.The other eight risks identified are international exposures, health system weaknesses, urban density, size of urban populations, population age, transparency of governance, press freedom and numbers of displaced peoples.

The risks which the most vulnerable countries face highlights “the importance of trying to identify and limit the spread of the SARS-CoV2 (corona) virus at the early stages, before it becomes entrenched in the high density urban or displaced person areas”, the center says.

Three of the most vulnerable countries – Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan – have made potentially significant progress at conflict resolution, or have had successes despite ongoing conflict. The victory against an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo this year, despite militia activity that killed both United Nations peacekeepers and health workers, was regarded as remarkable among both political and medical analysts. South Sudan negotiated peace between competing armies for control of the government, and ‘people power’ in Sudan toppled a long-lived despotic ruler who had been convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The survey says that the limited exposure of the three countries to international travellers gives them “a brief window to ramp up containment measures”. The hope of reformers and peace activists is that the same popular determination and courageous actions by Africans in each of those nations can be brought to the efforts against COVID-19. Only Nigeria – of the most at-risk countries – has had high rates of international travel. The majority of Nigeria’s identified cases so far were brought across borders by international travelers or Nigerians returning from abroad, or were among people who were exposed to them, who were found through contact tracing.

Key to efforts at containment, says the survey, “will be enhanced and transparent public communications regarding COVID-19, public health guidance, and candid information about what the government is doing and what individuals should do if they exhibit symptoms. For some of these countries, given their constricted space for sharing information, this will require significantly improved levels of transparency and space for independent media.”

Turning to the seven countries next most vulnerable, the center says they, also, among the African countries with less international exposure. But they need to mitigate areas of risk and draw on areas of strength.

The study says that, initially, international exposure, the size of urban populations and a nation’s capacity to test for the virus will determine the number of cases which are reported. It adds that “subsequent stages [in the spread of the virus] are likely to also exploit other vulnerabilities such as weak health systems, densities of urban populations, conflict, size of displaced populations, trust in government, and openness of communications channels”.

The center points to the fact that the number of cases reported, as opposed to the actual numbers of people infected, will depend on the strength of a country’s public health system. “In fact,” it says, “cases of the coronavirus may be widespread elsewhere, though they are not identified and reported.”

Looking beyond nations with relatively higher numbers of reported cases, it says that despite not having Africa’s largest urban populations, countries in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions “appear to be at high risk for severe outbreaks”. It urges that attention be given in those countries to densely- populated cities and towns, to supporting public health systems and being transparent with the public.

” However, each country faces a unique mix of vulnerabilities that will require a customized response.”

” Much remains unknown about the trajectory of the transmission of COVID-19 in Africa. Many fear that with its high levels of poverty, weak health systems, and crowded urban areas, the virus could be particularly devastating. Others hope that with its warmer climate, youthful population, and experience fighting infectious disease, that Africa will be able to avoid the worst of the pandemic.”

” African urban areas are often remarkably densely populated, creating conditions where viruses can spread quickly and undetected in crowded informal settlements. Urban density is characteristic even of relatively sparsely populated countries in the Sahel, where the concentration of human settlements in capital cities creates high levels of vulnerability. A similar pattern is seen in South Sudan, where inhabited areas average 8,730 people per square kilometer. Urban layouts and architectures in these locations are similar to the compacted towns of Spain and Italy, where the virus has hit Europe the hardest to date.”

” Built-up areas across much of Africa have higher population densities than those in Europe and the United States. Influenza transmission rates in India have been found to increase above a population density of 282 people per square kilometer. The density of many built-up areas in Africa is over five times this threshold.”

” Stay-at-home orders will be particularly difficult to maintain in African cities where many residents lack adequate shelter, sanitation, and the monetary means to stock up on supplies and to stop work.”

” Approximately 80 percent of COVID-19 fatalities have been among people over the age of 60. With 70 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 30, Africa’s youth bulge may be a buffer against the most devastating human costs of the disease on the continent.”
” The benefits of a more youthful population, however, will need to be balanced against other underlying health factors facing many African populations such as malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.”

” Refugees and internally displaced populations may be congregated in large camps with inadequate access to water, soap, or sanitation. Health services are often overstretched and inaccessible. The close quarters typical of such settlements greatly facilitates the spread of any infection once it is introduced. Eighty-five percent of Africa’s 25 million forcibly displaced persons are concentrated in 8 countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Cameroon.”

COVID-19: Ethiopia declares a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic

COVID-19: Ethiopia declares a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic

Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic -- a move that gives the Council of Ministers "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty.

The Horn of African Nation on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected 55 people and resulted in two deaths there. It is the first state of emergency announced under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in 2018 and won last year's Nobel Peace Prize in part for expanding political freedoms in the authoritarian nation.

"Because the coronavirus pandemic is getting worse, the Ethiopian government has decided to declare a state of emergency under Article 93 of the constitution," Abiy said in a statement. "I call upon everybody to stand in line with government bodies and others that are trying to overcome this problem," he added, warning of "grave legal measures" against anyone who undermines the fight against the pandemic.

It was not immediately clear how the state of emergency would affect day-to-day life in Ethiopia. The government has so far refrained from imposing a lockdown similar to those in effect elsewhere in the region, including in Rwanda, Uganda and Mauritius.

According to the country's constitution, under a state of emergency the Council of Ministers has "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty" and can suspend some "political and democratic rights".

The constitution also says lawmakers need to approve a state of emergency, which can last for six months and be extended every four months after that.

Wednesday's decree is likely to "beef up security operations with a greater role for the federal government, including the military," said William Davison, Ethiopia analyst for the International Crisis Group, a conflict-prevention organisation.

"While this approach is understandable given the situation, it is critical that there is transparency over the government's extra powers and that there is adequate monitoring of implementation," Davison said.

Opposition challenges move

Since reporting its first COVID-19 case on March 13, Ethiopia has closed land borders and schools, freed thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding, sprayed main streets in the capital with disinfectant, and discouraged large gatherings.

But Abiy said over the weekend that a harsher lockdown would be unrealistic given that there are "many citizens who don't have homes" and "even those who have homes have to make ends meet daily."

Jawar Mohammed, a leading opposition politician, said Wednesday this called into question why a state of emergency was necessary.

"Officials have been saying the country is too poor to stop population movement. So why do you need a state of emergency if you are not planning to impose stricter rules?" Jawar told AFP.

During consultations with Abiy earlier this week, the opposition Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) voiced worries that a state of emergency would lead to human rights abuses—a well-documented problem under previous states of emergency imposed during several years of anti-government protests that swept Abiy to power.

"We explained our concern that the state of emergency has been initiated several times and it has been abused to violate the rights of citizens and other political activists," OLF chairman Dawud Ibsa told AFP.

It's also unclear how the state of emergency might affect planning for hotly-anticipated general elections in Ethiopia.

The country's electoral board announced last week that voting planned for August would need to be postponed because of the pandemic.

It did not provide a timeline for when the elections would ultimately be held, and lawmakers' constitutional mandates expire in October.

Davison, with the International Crisis Group, said the state of emergency could be used "to formally postpone elections" past that deadline, though such a move risks sparking opposition backlash.

"It is therefore essential that the government works with opposition parties on managing this constitutionally sensitive period and making new electoral arrangements," Davison said.


Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic -- a move that gives the Council of Ministers "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty.

The Horn of African Nation on Wednesday declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected 55 people and resulted in two deaths there. It is the first state of emergency announced under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in 2018 and won last year's Nobel Peace Prize in part for expanding political freedoms in the authoritarian nation.

"Because the coronavirus pandemic is getting worse, the Ethiopian government has decided to declare a state of emergency under Article 93 of the constitution," Abiy said in a statement. "I call upon everybody to stand in line with government bodies and others that are trying to overcome this problem," he added, warning of "grave legal measures" against anyone who undermines the fight against the pandemic.

It was not immediately clear how the state of emergency would affect day-to-day life in Ethiopia. The government has so far refrained from imposing a lockdown similar to those in effect elsewhere in the region, including in Rwanda, Uganda and Mauritius.

According to the country's constitution, under a state of emergency the Council of Ministers has "all necessary power to protect the country's peace and sovereignty" and can suspend some "political and democratic rights".

The constitution also says lawmakers need to approve a state of emergency, which can last for six months and be extended every four months after that.

Wednesday's decree is likely to "beef up security operations with a greater role for the federal government, including the military," said William Davison, Ethiopia analyst for the International Crisis Group, a conflict-prevention organisation.

"While this approach is understandable given the situation, it is critical that there is transparency over the government's extra powers and that there is adequate monitoring of implementation," Davison said.

Opposition challenges move

Since reporting its first COVID-19 case on March 13, Ethiopia has closed land borders and schools, freed thousands of prisoners to ease overcrowding, sprayed main streets in the capital with disinfectant, and discouraged large gatherings.

But Abiy said over the weekend that a harsher lockdown would be unrealistic given that there are "many citizens who don't have homes" and "even those who have homes have to make ends meet daily."

Jawar Mohammed, a leading opposition politician, said Wednesday this called into question why a state of emergency was necessary.

"Officials have been saying the country is too poor to stop population movement. So why do you need a state of emergency if you are not planning to impose stricter rules?" Jawar told AFP.

During consultations with Abiy earlier this week, the opposition Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) voiced worries that a state of emergency would lead to human rights abuses—a well-documented problem under previous states of emergency imposed during several years of anti-government protests that swept Abiy to power.

"We explained our concern that the state of emergency has been initiated several times and it has been abused to violate the rights of citizens and other political activists," OLF chairman Dawud Ibsa told AFP.

It's also unclear how the state of emergency might affect planning for hotly-anticipated general elections in Ethiopia.

The country's electoral board announced last week that voting planned for August would need to be postponed because of the pandemic.

It did not provide a timeline for when the elections would ultimately be held, and lawmakers' constitutional mandates expire in October.

Davison, with the International Crisis Group, said the state of emergency could be used "to formally postpone elections" past that deadline, though such a move risks sparking opposition backlash.

"It is therefore essential that the government works with opposition parties on managing this constitutionally sensitive period and making new electoral arrangements," Davison said.


COVID-19: Ethiopia reports first coronavirus death

COVID-19: Ethiopia reports first coronavirus death

Addis Ababa (AFP) - Ethiopia on Sunday announced the first death of a patient suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as officials ramped up testing to get a clearer picture of the outbreak there.

"It is my deepest regret to announce the first death of a patient from #COVID19 in Ethiopia," Health Minister Lia Tadesse said on Twitter.

The victim was a 60-year-old Ethiopian woman who had spent six days in intensive care, a health ministry statement said.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also took to Twitter on Sunday to offer his condolences.

Ethiopia, a country of more than 100 million people, confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 13 and has recorded just 43 in total -- mostly people who have a history of recent foreign travel.

But testing has been extremely limited.

As of Friday, the country had conducted just 1,222 tests, according to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.

South Africa, by comparison, has performed tens of thousands of tests.

On Saturday, Ethiopian officials announced they were conducting an additional 647 tests "as part of strengthening the COVID-19 surveillance".

The new round of testing targeted health workers, people in the transportation sector who have "direct contact with passengers" and "randomly selected community members" in Addis Ababa, the capital, and the city of Adama in the Oromia region.

It was intended to help determine whether there has been undetected community transmission, said Dr Adisu Kebede, director of national laboratory capacity building.

"There are also a few cases that we identified that have no travel history and things like that, and from their contacts, you can guess that there is community transmission already," Adisu said.

"The WHO recommended 'test, test, test,' so we had to test more people," he added.

The country has "around 23,000" testing kits available, the vast majority of them donated last month by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, Adisu said.

It has no rapid testing capacity, and its facilities can currently process no more than 500 tests per day, he said, though the goal is to push that figure to over 1,000 by the end of the month.



Addis Ababa (AFP) - Ethiopia on Sunday announced the first death of a patient suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as officials ramped up testing to get a clearer picture of the outbreak there.

"It is my deepest regret to announce the first death of a patient from #COVID19 in Ethiopia," Health Minister Lia Tadesse said on Twitter.

The victim was a 60-year-old Ethiopian woman who had spent six days in intensive care, a health ministry statement said.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also took to Twitter on Sunday to offer his condolences.

Ethiopia, a country of more than 100 million people, confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 13 and has recorded just 43 in total -- mostly people who have a history of recent foreign travel.

But testing has been extremely limited.

As of Friday, the country had conducted just 1,222 tests, according to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.

South Africa, by comparison, has performed tens of thousands of tests.

On Saturday, Ethiopian officials announced they were conducting an additional 647 tests "as part of strengthening the COVID-19 surveillance".

The new round of testing targeted health workers, people in the transportation sector who have "direct contact with passengers" and "randomly selected community members" in Addis Ababa, the capital, and the city of Adama in the Oromia region.

It was intended to help determine whether there has been undetected community transmission, said Dr Adisu Kebede, director of national laboratory capacity building.

"There are also a few cases that we identified that have no travel history and things like that, and from their contacts, you can guess that there is community transmission already," Adisu said.

"The WHO recommended 'test, test, test,' so we had to test more people," he added.

The country has "around 23,000" testing kits available, the vast majority of them donated last month by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, Adisu said.

It has no rapid testing capacity, and its facilities can currently process no more than 500 tests per day, he said, though the goal is to push that figure to over 1,000 by the end of the month.



Ethiopia: 29 injured in "bomb attack" at pro-Abiy rally

Ethiopia: 29 injured in "bomb attack" at pro-Abiy rally

Addis Ababa (AFP) - A "bomb attack" on a rally in support of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed injured nearly 30 people Sunday, a police official said, in the latest sign of instability ahead of elections in August.

The incident occurred in the town of Ambo, located roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the capital, Addis Ababa.

"The bomb attack on a rally for Dr. Abiy has injured 29 people, of whom 28 have been treated and sent home," Arasa Merdasa, the top police official in Ethiopia's Oromia region, where Ambo is located, told the state-run Ethiopian News Agency.

"Police have arrested six people who are suspected in the attack," Arasa said.

Ethiopia's electoral board has scheduled landmark national polls for August 29.

Opposition parties and civil society organisations have questioned whether the elections will be peaceful and credible, citing persistent ethnic violence since Abiy was appointed in 2018 following several years of anti-government protests.

The formal campaign period begins in May.

Abiy did not attend Sunday's rally, which was organised by officials in Ambo.

Abiy, the winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, hopes the elections will secure him a mandate to continue with an ambitious agenda of political and economic reforms.

Arasa said Sunday's attack was believed to be the work of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the breakaway armed wing of the Oromo Liberation Front, an opposition party.

Officials have also blamed the OLA for the assassination on Friday of the top security official in Burayu, another Oromia town located on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

That attack left three other people injured, and police "vowed to hunt down" those responsible, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

Arasa declined to answer questions about the latest violence in Oromia when contacted Sunday, referring an AFP reporter to the Ethiopian News Agency report.

Source
Addis Ababa (AFP) - A "bomb attack" on a rally in support of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed injured nearly 30 people Sunday, a police official said, in the latest sign of instability ahead of elections in August.

The incident occurred in the town of Ambo, located roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the capital, Addis Ababa.

"The bomb attack on a rally for Dr. Abiy has injured 29 people, of whom 28 have been treated and sent home," Arasa Merdasa, the top police official in Ethiopia's Oromia region, where Ambo is located, told the state-run Ethiopian News Agency.

"Police have arrested six people who are suspected in the attack," Arasa said.

Ethiopia's electoral board has scheduled landmark national polls for August 29.

Opposition parties and civil society organisations have questioned whether the elections will be peaceful and credible, citing persistent ethnic violence since Abiy was appointed in 2018 following several years of anti-government protests.

The formal campaign period begins in May.

Abiy did not attend Sunday's rally, which was organised by officials in Ambo.

Abiy, the winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, hopes the elections will secure him a mandate to continue with an ambitious agenda of political and economic reforms.

Arasa said Sunday's attack was believed to be the work of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the breakaway armed wing of the Oromo Liberation Front, an opposition party.

Officials have also blamed the OLA for the assassination on Friday of the top security official in Burayu, another Oromia town located on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

That attack left three other people injured, and police "vowed to hunt down" those responsible, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

Arasa declined to answer questions about the latest violence in Oromia when contacted Sunday, referring an AFP reporter to the Ethiopian News Agency report.

Source

Three countries delay Ethiopia dam deadline but Trump sees deal

Three countries delay Ethiopia dam deadline but Trump sees deal

Washington (AFP) - Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on Friday pushed back their deadline to resolve a bitter row on a dam on the Nile until the end of February, but President Donald Trump voiced confidence that a deal was near.

It was the latest delay in the US-brokered talks on the giant Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is slated to begin operations later this year and has sparked fears of conflict over scarce water resources.

But the talks have appeared to make progress. The latest session, held over four days in Washington among foreign and water resources ministers, focused on mitigation measures during droughts and other dry years.

"The ministers have instructed their technical and legal teams to prepare the final agreement," a joint statement said, "for a signing of the three countries by the end of February 2020."

The three countries "reaffirmed the importance of transboundary cooperation in the development of the Blue Nile to improve the lives of the people of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan."

Ethiopia says the dam -- which will be the largest in Africa -- is crucial for its growing economy, but Egypt fears the project will disrupt the river that provides 90 percent of its drinking water.

The US Treasury Department has been leading the talks after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sought intervention from Trump, a close ally.

The White House said that Trump on Friday spoke by telephone about the negotiations with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Trump "expressed optimism that an agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was near and would benefit all parties involved," the White House said in a statement.


- Progress but delays -

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have gone into overtime in often tense negotiations in Washington.

They had earlier set a deadline of January 15 before agreeing to seal the deal during a January 28-29 meeting, which wound up going two days longer than planned.

In the latest talks, the countries discussed setting up ways in which they can share information and resolve potential future disputes about the dam.

They also agreed to address dam safety standards and look further at the environmental and social impacts, according to the joint statement.

In earlier talks, the three countries said they had reached an understanding that Ethiopia would only fill the Grand Renaissance Dam during the rainy season and would base future water levels on conditions of the Nile.

The colossal 1.8-kilometer-long (1.1-mile-long) dam, under construction since 2011, is expected to begin generating power by the end of this year and eventually double Ethiopia's electricity.

The country expects the $4.2 billion hydroelectric barrage to be fully operational by 2022.

Abiy, whose democratic reforms won him the Nobel Peace Prize, has promised to cooperate with the other countries.

But Ethiopia has also made clear that it will insist on its rights to the water from the Nile.

The International Crisis Group, in a report last year, warned that the dam risked triggering violent conflict if it becomes operational without an agreement among the affected countries.


Washington (AFP) - Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on Friday pushed back their deadline to resolve a bitter row on a dam on the Nile until the end of February, but President Donald Trump voiced confidence that a deal was near.

It was the latest delay in the US-brokered talks on the giant Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is slated to begin operations later this year and has sparked fears of conflict over scarce water resources.

But the talks have appeared to make progress. The latest session, held over four days in Washington among foreign and water resources ministers, focused on mitigation measures during droughts and other dry years.

"The ministers have instructed their technical and legal teams to prepare the final agreement," a joint statement said, "for a signing of the three countries by the end of February 2020."

The three countries "reaffirmed the importance of transboundary cooperation in the development of the Blue Nile to improve the lives of the people of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan."

Ethiopia says the dam -- which will be the largest in Africa -- is crucial for its growing economy, but Egypt fears the project will disrupt the river that provides 90 percent of its drinking water.

The US Treasury Department has been leading the talks after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sought intervention from Trump, a close ally.

The White House said that Trump on Friday spoke by telephone about the negotiations with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Trump "expressed optimism that an agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was near and would benefit all parties involved," the White House said in a statement.


- Progress but delays -

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have gone into overtime in often tense negotiations in Washington.

They had earlier set a deadline of January 15 before agreeing to seal the deal during a January 28-29 meeting, which wound up going two days longer than planned.

In the latest talks, the countries discussed setting up ways in which they can share information and resolve potential future disputes about the dam.

They also agreed to address dam safety standards and look further at the environmental and social impacts, according to the joint statement.

In earlier talks, the three countries said they had reached an understanding that Ethiopia would only fill the Grand Renaissance Dam during the rainy season and would base future water levels on conditions of the Nile.

The colossal 1.8-kilometer-long (1.1-mile-long) dam, under construction since 2011, is expected to begin generating power by the end of this year and eventually double Ethiopia's electricity.

The country expects the $4.2 billion hydroelectric barrage to be fully operational by 2022.

Abiy, whose democratic reforms won him the Nobel Peace Prize, has promised to cooperate with the other countries.

But Ethiopia has also made clear that it will insist on its rights to the water from the Nile.

The International Crisis Group, in a report last year, warned that the dam risked triggering violent conflict if it becomes operational without an agreement among the affected countries.


Ten killed, scores injured in seating collapse at Ethiopian Orthodox Christian festival: doctors

Ten killed, scores injured in seating collapse at Ethiopian Orthodox Christian festival: doctors

Gondar (Ethiopia) (AFP) At least ten people were killed Monday and scores injured when a seating area collapsed during a major Orthodox Christian celebration in Ethiopia, with fears the death toll could rise.

The accident occurred just before 8am (0500 GMT) Monday in Gondar, a historic city in the country's north, where every year more than a million people gather for the epiphany festivities known as Timkat.

Two doctors at the University of Gondar Hospital told AFP that 10 people died when the spectator stands gave way suddenly at Fasilides' Bath, where thousands typically gather to watch worshippers plunge into the holy waters.

"I can tell you up to now we have 10 dead. The number of injured is 100 or even 150," said one senior doctor at the hospital. A second doctor confirmed the toll.

UNESCO added Timkat to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last month, and the event draws huge crowds from across Ethiopia and abroad.

Hundreds had been sitting on a tiered wooden structure for hours when it collapsed. Witnesses fleeing the scene said an untold number were crushed, suggesting the casualty count could rise.

Another hospital source said the injured were suffering from fractures and internal bleeding.

Emergency vehicles struggled to part the crowd to enter the site and take victims to the hospital.

Once the site was cleared, however, the festival resumed and lasted until mid-morning.

Samuel Baheru, who travelled to Gondar for Timkat from the capital Addis Ababa, said he was outside Fasilides' Bath when the structure collapsed and watched bodies being carried out on stretchers.

"We heard a loud noise and what we saw coming out on the stretchers wasn't pleasant. At first I panicked because my wife was inside, but then I found her and we continued with Timkat," he said.

- Huge crowds -

Tesfa Mekonnen, the city government's head of peace and security for Gondar, told AFP three people had been killed and maybe 100 injured in the accident, including at least one foreigner.

But he insisted authorities were prepared for the popular event and that the seating was built by "professionals".

"Youngsters wanted to participate so they climbed up, so there were too many and it was overloaded," said Tesfa in Gondar, a city 700 kilometres (435 miles) north of Addis Ababa and the former seat of the royal empire.

No official visitor count to Timkat is kept, said Aschalew Worku, the city's top tourism official.

But Tesfa, the security official, said UNESCO's listing of Timkat had played a part in greater spectator numbers this year.

"As you know it has been registered as a world heritage event. Because of this, we have seen a bigger number of people this year," he said.

At the hospital, the loved ones of victims huddled outside the emergency room in groups, some crying and others anxiously awaiting news from doctors.

One doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity because he did not want to publicly criticise the government, said the wooden seating structures -- which are built and erected each year for Timkat -- were a needless risk.

"I don't want to say this is totally preventable, but this type of temporary structure should not have been built in the first place," the official said.

"The security forces tried to avoid having people climb up, but you can't control so many people," he added.

Ethiopia is famous for its Orthodox Christian festivals, which draw worshippers and secular tourists and are central to its tourism industry.

Gondar is a popular stop for tourists travelling Ethiopia's "northern circuit" to see the storied rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the Ark of the Covenant that sits covered in Axum, which Ethiopians have long claimed is the original brought from Jerusalem by King Solomon 3,000 years ago.

Gondar (Ethiopia) (AFP) At least ten people were killed Monday and scores injured when a seating area collapsed during a major Orthodox Christian celebration in Ethiopia, with fears the death toll could rise.

The accident occurred just before 8am (0500 GMT) Monday in Gondar, a historic city in the country's north, where every year more than a million people gather for the epiphany festivities known as Timkat.

Two doctors at the University of Gondar Hospital told AFP that 10 people died when the spectator stands gave way suddenly at Fasilides' Bath, where thousands typically gather to watch worshippers plunge into the holy waters.

"I can tell you up to now we have 10 dead. The number of injured is 100 or even 150," said one senior doctor at the hospital. A second doctor confirmed the toll.

UNESCO added Timkat to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last month, and the event draws huge crowds from across Ethiopia and abroad.

Hundreds had been sitting on a tiered wooden structure for hours when it collapsed. Witnesses fleeing the scene said an untold number were crushed, suggesting the casualty count could rise.

Another hospital source said the injured were suffering from fractures and internal bleeding.

Emergency vehicles struggled to part the crowd to enter the site and take victims to the hospital.

Once the site was cleared, however, the festival resumed and lasted until mid-morning.

Samuel Baheru, who travelled to Gondar for Timkat from the capital Addis Ababa, said he was outside Fasilides' Bath when the structure collapsed and watched bodies being carried out on stretchers.

"We heard a loud noise and what we saw coming out on the stretchers wasn't pleasant. At first I panicked because my wife was inside, but then I found her and we continued with Timkat," he said.

- Huge crowds -

Tesfa Mekonnen, the city government's head of peace and security for Gondar, told AFP three people had been killed and maybe 100 injured in the accident, including at least one foreigner.

But he insisted authorities were prepared for the popular event and that the seating was built by "professionals".

"Youngsters wanted to participate so they climbed up, so there were too many and it was overloaded," said Tesfa in Gondar, a city 700 kilometres (435 miles) north of Addis Ababa and the former seat of the royal empire.

No official visitor count to Timkat is kept, said Aschalew Worku, the city's top tourism official.

But Tesfa, the security official, said UNESCO's listing of Timkat had played a part in greater spectator numbers this year.

"As you know it has been registered as a world heritage event. Because of this, we have seen a bigger number of people this year," he said.

At the hospital, the loved ones of victims huddled outside the emergency room in groups, some crying and others anxiously awaiting news from doctors.

One doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity because he did not want to publicly criticise the government, said the wooden seating structures -- which are built and erected each year for Timkat -- were a needless risk.

"I don't want to say this is totally preventable, but this type of temporary structure should not have been built in the first place," the official said.

"The security forces tried to avoid having people climb up, but you can't control so many people," he added.

Ethiopia is famous for its Orthodox Christian festivals, which draw worshippers and secular tourists and are central to its tourism industry.

Gondar is a popular stop for tourists travelling Ethiopia's "northern circuit" to see the storied rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the Ark of the Covenant that sits covered in Axum, which Ethiopians have long claimed is the original brought from Jerusalem by King Solomon 3,000 years ago.

Poster Speaks

Poster Speaks/box

Trending

randomposts