Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly announced his country’s decision to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state on Friday, marking a significant diplomatic development for the self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa.

The announcement was made during a telephone conversation between the Israeli Prime Minister and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), in which Netanyahu formally conveyed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.

The Declaration by the State of Israel which is signed by PM Benjamin Netanyahu, reads “Israel respectfully acknowledges the formal appeal conveyed by Somaliland president, requesting recognition. In response this appeal and in light of the shared values, strategic interests and the spirit of mutual respect that binds the two nations, Israel officially recognizes the Republic of Somaliland as sovereign and independent state.”

Full diplomatic relations is declared between Israel and Somaliland, as per the statement, ‘to advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and beyond.”

Somaliland president Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillah (Irro) also issued official declaration, “warmly welcoming and deeply appreciating Israel’s recognition.” Further, Irro stated “Somaliland expresses its firm intention to accede to the Abraham Accord, to contribute meaningfully to peace and stability across the Middle East and Africa.”

In the conversation, he said his country officially recognized Somaliland and its right of self-determination.

“Our friendship is historic,” said Netanyahu. “The recognition would be a good opportunity for expanding our partnership and we intend to work with you in economic, agriculture, and social developments.”

The Israeli PM also invited the President of the Republic of Somaliland to Israel.

In a subsequent social media post, Netanyahu stated that the declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of US President Donald Trump.  

The Office of the President of the Republic of Somaliland has issued a statement declaring the move a “historic milestone in Somaliland’s prolonged quest for international legitimacy.” It asserted that the recognition reaffirms Somaliland’s historical, legal, and moral right to sovereign statehood.

The office further announced Somaliland’s firm intention to accede to the Abraham Accords.

“Somaliland reaffirms its commitment to building constructive partnerships, fostering mutual prosperity, and meaningfully contributing to peace and stability across the Middle East and Africa,” reads the statement.

Somaliland intends to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, according to the statement.

Costantinos Berhutesfa (PhD), a seasoned economic and political analyst, believes Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could trigger a chain reaction, prompting other influential countries to follow suit, including Somaliland’s former colonial power, the United Kingdom.

He cited recent remarks by the British foreign minister, who stated that the United Kingdom should recognize Somaliland as an independent state, noting that such statements signal growing momentum among Western powers.

Costantinos said Israel’s decision was not taken in isolation.

“They are not alone in this decision,” he told The Reporter. “The United States is part of it, because major decisions of this nature are made together.”

According to him, coordinated recognition by Israel and the United States would carry weight within international institutions, influencing deliberations at the United Nations Security Council and potentially within the African Union.

Costantinos predicts Ethiopia’s recognition could come later, as Addis Ababa seeks to preserve the relations it has built with the Somali federal government and avoid actions that could strain those ties.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Somalia, Turkey, and Djibouti are among the countries that have issued statements condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state.

Ankara characterized the decision as “clear interference in Somalia’s internal affairs.”

In a statement issued following a phone call between the foreign ministers of the four countries, the Egyptian government expressed its “full opposition to any unilateral measures that could undermine Somali sovereignty or destabilize the country.”

However, Costantinos argues the recognition of Somaliland will not undermine stability in the Horn of Africa, noting that the territory has remained stable for more than three decades.

“We have to be intellectually honest about Somaliland,” he said. “For over three decades, it has maintained a level of internal stability that many recognized states envy. It has a functioning democracy and political stability. The delay in recognition has been about who takes the first step, not about bad intentions.”

A political expert spoke to The Reporter requesting anonymity, also shares Costantinos’s view that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could encourage other countries to take similar steps.

He said it remains too early to draw firm conclusions, as the situation is still evolving, but noted that such political decisions are inherently “contagious.”

“Once a door is opened in situations like this, it is only a matter of time before others follow,” he said, adding that Somaliland’s case had long been delayed over questions of which country would make the first move.

The expert said Israel’s decision has the backing of the United States, noting that officials from the US Embassy and its delegations made an official visit to Hargeisa on the same day to assess Somaliland’s diplomatic capacity.

“Who comes next will depend on time,” he said, adding that Israel’s move may also be aimed at countering the influence of Turkey and Egypt in the region.

He said recognition of Somaliland could act as a trigger for the revival of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) Ethiopia signed with Somaliland.

While stating that Israel would not pose a threat to Ethiopia’s sovereignty, the expert said Somaliland’s recognition would benefit Ethiopia in several respects.

Costantinos also said Ethiopia’s political tensions with Asmara could ease following recognition of Hargeisa, arguing that it would open additional opportunities for Addis Ababa.

“Israel’s move will directly affect Egypt’s interests and could also reduce the significance of the Assab issue with Eritrea by offering Ethiopia a better alternative,” he told The Reporter.

The case was brought forward by Human Rights First Ethiopia, a local civil society organization, which is seeking court orders compelling the defendants to ensure the safe return, security, and sustainable reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In its petition, submitted to the Federal High Court, the civil society organization asked the court to order the defendants to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of displaced persons to their places of origin, establish conditions that guarantee security and protection for returnees, take concrete measures to ensure the practical implementation of return processes and ensure that returnees recover their homes and receive sustainable resettlement support.

The lawsuit argues that the rights violations stem from the defendants’ failure to fulfill their constitutional and international obligations.

According to the case file, following the outbreak of war in the Tigray region on December 3, 2020, citizens of Tigrayan origin were displaced from Western Tigray Zone and Shehet Woreda of the Afar Region.

The petition states that more than one million people remain unable to return to their homes and are currently living in temporary shelters and host communities in locations including Shiraro, Shire, Axum, Adwa, Tembien, Adigrat, Mekelle, and other areas across Tigray.

The plaintiff further reported that nearly 520,000 IDPs from Oromia are sheltering in Debre Birhan city and the North Wollo Zone of the Amhara region. It also states that more than 84,000 IDPs within Oromia remain displaced in temporary shelters or host communities within the region itself.

The organization said many displaced people are living in overcrowded shelters, schools, and open spaces, without adequate food, water, sanitation, shelter, or health services, exposing them to severe hunger, poverty, and psychological distress.

The case file also cites various constitutional and international obligations the defendants are obligated to fulfill, including the African Union Kampala Convention, ratified by Ethiopia in 2009, and formally approved by Parliament in February 2020.

According to the filing, all defendants are legally bound to implement the Convention’s provisions, which require them to ensure the voluntary return of IDPs, provide adequate security, and facilitate reintegration assistance.

The lawsuit alleges that the Amhara regional government, which currently administers areas from which Western Tigray IDPs were displaced, has prevented their return in violation of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of movement and residence. The petition claims this has subjected displaced citizens to years of suffering and hardship.

It further argues that the Tigray Interim Administration, under the Pretoria Peace Agreement, is obligated to work with federal authorities to prioritize the return of displaced persons. However, the organization alleges that political considerations were prioritized over humanitarian responsibilities.

Similarly, the Oromia Regional Government is accused of failing to facilitate the return and resettlement of displaced persons, both those displaced from the region and those internally displaced within Oromia, despite constitutional and legal obligations.

The case was presented to the Federal High Court this week, and the bench has scheduled a hearing for January 2, 2026, where judges will rule on whether the defendants are required to formally respond to the claims raised in the lawsuit, The Reporter learnt.

In an interview with The Reporter in May 2025, Tesfalem Berhe, director of Human Rights First Ethiopia, stated that the organization was finalizing preparations to file a court case against the government over the plight of internally displaced persons.

The new expiration date for AUSSOM, which was supposed to be a one-year mission, is December 2026. Ethiopia has agreed to keep its peacekeeping troops in Somalia under the revised schedule.

As per the latest decision, troop contributing countries (TCCs) including Ethiopia and Egypt, “continue to deploy up to 11,826 uniformed personnel, inclusive of 680 police personnel, to AUSSOM until that date. The additional support to AUSSOM and the Somali Security Forces is necessary to enable Somalia to bolster its fight against Al-Shabaab and improve peace and security in the country and the region.”

The AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) also welcomed the readiness of Egypt to finalize the deployment of contingents in Somalia, while requesting troops from Burundi, Ghana, and Sierra Leone to remain in place until Egyptian troops are deployed to avoid a “security vacuum.”

Uganda and Ethiopia have deployed additional troops in Somalia on a bilateral arrangement basis, as a short-term measure, continuing their commitment and sacrifices in addressing the prevailing security situation in Somalia.

Last year, after Ethiopia disclosed potential plans to recognize Somaliland, Mogadishu threatened to expel Ethiopia from AUSSOM. It remains unclear whether Ethiopia will follow through in light of Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland this week.

Some analysts fear the circumstances could renew tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa.

AUPSC also commended Somalia’s reaffirmed commitment and progress made towards one-person-one vote elections in December 2026; and encouraged continued inclusive political engagements in the country.

The AU also underscored the need to cultivate local security forces as a critical step in informing the exit strategy.

Meanwhile, AUPSC reiterated its deep concern over the persistent financial gaps to support the operations of AUSSOM, which it deems critical for the peace, security and stability in Somalia, the region and the continent at large.

A statement issued by the Council this week indicates the AU Commission has allocated USD 20 million from the AU Peace Fund towards peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, but notes the funding has not yet been released.

On the other hand, the UNSC decided that the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) shall cease all operations on 31 October 2026 after completing the second phase of its transition.

During its meeting on December 23, 2025, members of the UNSC raised strong concerns regarding the funding shortfalls of AUSSOM.

Sierra Leone’s delegate, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Somalia, stated “Regrettably, some of our core concerns were not reflected in the text,” adding that the financing of AUSSOM had not been a central issue throughout the negotiations despite being the core concern.

Nevertheless, his group voted in favour of the text, recognizing the need for Council authorization “as the basis for continued support to AUSSOM by international donors.” The chronic underfunding of AUSSOM seriously impedes its objectives and risks reversing the progress achieved, he warned.

Several speakers echoed that, with the representative of France saying: “It is now more urgent than ever that new donors mobilize in support of security in Somalia.”

Denmark’s delegate highlighted AUSSOM’s role in providing logistical support to UNSOS in Somalia’s fight against Al Shabaab and in strengthening stabilization efforts. “Further progress must be made on the national level for Somalia to assume full responsibility for its security,” he emphasized.

The speaker for Pakistan said that while Al-Shabaab and its affiliates threaten peace in Somalia, sustainable and predictable financing for the Mission remains vital. AUSSOM, operating under the principles of national ownership and in full respect of national sovereignty, has a critical role to play.

The Russian Federation’s delegate stressed that the focus of the resolution should continue to be the security issue and support for AUSSOM. Domestic political issues in Somalia and the activities of the transition assistance mission and the relevant reports of the UN Secretary-General are “secondary in nature” and not a mandatory precondition for the Council to authorize the work of African peacekeepers in Somalia.

Stressing the need to listen to Somalia, he added: “We fail to understand the attempts by some delegations to defend the expansion of the UN Secretary General’s reporting on Somalia.”

 The United Kingdom’s representative, however, said the text creates a process to enable an informed review of the logistical support provided by the UN. This adoption follows the recent extension of the Al-Shabaab sanctions regime, he said, adding: “Taken together, these decisions demonstrate the Council’s continued determination to support Somalia in its fight against Al-Shabaab.”

China’s delegate said the funding gap facing AUSSOM is unsustainable and the liquidity shortfall confronting UNSOS merits concern. He called on donors to honour their funding commitments, paying their assessed peacekeeping contributions to UNSOS in full and on time. Further, the Secretary-General must present practical proposals on adjusting support for AUSSOM and bridging the funding gap, he said, calling on UNTMIS to ensure a smooth second phase of the transition.

As the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget, “China shoulders nearly one quarter of the unsourced budget and has made significant contributions to the logistical support of AUSSOM over the years”, he said.

The United States, that country’s delegate said, has contributed billions of dollars to various missions in Somalia. Expressing concern that the “transfer of most security functions to Somalia has been elusive”, he said the responsibility for combating Al-Shabaab and other terrorism threats must shift “primarily to those who have the most at stake.”

The 2025 edition of the Digital Progress and Trends Report places Ethiopia at the bottom tier globally, highlighting deep structural gaps in connectivity, computing power, data availability, and digital skills that threaten to widen economic and social inequality.

The report classifies Ethiopia as a low-income country underperforming on both dimensions of AI readiness, meaning it lacks not only the market size and infrastructure to develop AI technologies, but also the per-capita capacity needed to adopt and use AI across public services, businesses, and daily life.

“Low income countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya underperform on both scale and intensity, highlighting the need to invest in foundational enablers such as affordable and high-quality broadband, digital literacy, and workforce skills,” the report states.

The World Bank warns that countries with limited AI foundations risk becoming permanent consumers of foreign AI platforms, rather than creators or shapers of technology suited to local needs. Ethiopia’s small and fragmented digital market, combined with limited computing infrastructure and skills shortages, places it firmly in this vulnerable category.

According to the report, countries that lack sufficient AI “intensity” often see adoption confined to elite institutions or a few urban centers, leaving most of the economy untouched by productivity gains. For Ethiopia, this means AI deployment risks deepening urban-rural and income divides rather than closing them.

A central barrier identified is Ethiopia’s limited access to compute, including both domestic data centers and affordable cloud services. The report notes that data centers are capital- and energy-intensive, requiring stable electricity and high-quality internet connectivity—conditions that remain unreliable in many low-income countries.

More than 60 percent of developing countries face serious energy security challenges, undermining the viability of infrastructure investment, the report adds, citing International Energy Agency data. Without stable power and predictable regulation, Ethiopia risks being locked out of large-scale AI deployment.

Even where infrastructure exists, Ethiopia faces a scarcity of advanced digital and AI skills, according to the report’s analysis of workforce competency. Limited access to advanced training, under-resourced educational institutions, and ongoing brain drain to higher-income countries further weaken the country’s capacity to manage and adapt AI systems.

The World Bank cautions that AI systems require specialized, often tacit expertise to operate effectively, and without domestic capacity, countries risk dependency on external providers.

The report also flags language and data gaps as major constraints for countries like Ethiopia, where many local languages are underrepresented in global AI training data. Without localized datasets and models adapted to national contexts, AI tools risk excluding large segments of the population, particularly in education, agriculture, and public services.

“Without dedicated investments in local language models and culturally relevant interfaces, AI risks replicating and even reinforcing existing inequities,” the report warns.

The World Bank concludes that Ethiopia’s pathway to benefiting from AI lies not in frontier innovation, but in urgent investment in foundational enablers—reliable connectivity, affordable compute, robust data governance, and large-scale digital skills development.

Intense unrest in the Gambella Regional State over the past couple of weeks has claimed dozens of lives as the region struggles with rising ethnic tensions and a fresh influx of South Sudanese refugees seeking shelter from violence in already overcrowded camps.

Eyewitnesses, local officials, humanitarian workers, and investors in Gambella who spoke to The Reporter over the past week allege a far-reaching web of corruption preying on humanitarian aid meant for refugees is implicated in the violence that has gripped the region.

Sources say the unrest began two weeks ago, following the closure of roads connecting the regional capital—the town of Gambella—to several surrounding woredas. Early this week, a manager of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) branch in the area, who was reportedly a member of the Nuer ethnic group, was killed, according to the sources.

This was followed by the killing of a Gambella police commander, who was reportedly a member of the Annuak ethnic group.

Sources say these events eventually led to the widespread violence that had claimed close to 100 lives as of Friday, December 19. Towns like Akedo and Abol have been razed, while areas like Lare, Itang, and Gambella town have also been affected, according to reports. Gunfire was heard in several areas, according to sources.

Gatluak Ruon (PhD), deputy head of the regional administration, said the unnamed attackers targeted ambulances and government vehicles during the first days of the violence, killing at least five people.

Regional president Alemitu Umod declined to provide further details when The Reporter contacted her for comment on Friday. However, the president confirmed to local media that the regional government is working with the federal government to ensure peace and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has deployed troops in the region to contain the conflict.

The Gambella Police Commission has also issued statements confirming that regional security forces and the Federal Police Commission are working with the ENDF to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Despite making allusions to a hidden hand orchestrating the unrest in the region, both Alemitu and Gatluak refrained from naming the actual perpetrators while speaking to BBC and local media over the week.

Officials also say that opposition political figures in Gambella have an understanding with the government and are strictly engaged in peaceful politics.

This month’s unrest is not the first incident of its kind in the region, whose security issues stretch back decades and have roots in Juba, Addis Ababa, and Gambella itself.

In recent years, unrest in the region has been linked to tensions between residents and its large refugee population.

Data from UNHCR indicates there are over 483,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, comprising nearly half of the one million refugees estimated to be living in the country. The vast majority of South Sudanese refugees, close to 450,000, reside in around half a dozen camps in Gambella.

The camps have long been at capacity, but renewed tensions in South Sudan have caused many more to flee to Gambella for safety over the past year.

In October, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan cautioned that armed clashes, political detentions, and human rights violations in the country have skyrocketed in recent months.

The violence began to escalate in March, when the government of President Salva Kiir arrested Vice President Riek Machar.

Machar was taken into custody on suspicion of working with the White Army, a militant organization tied to the Nuer ethnic group. At the time, Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) party denied ongoing links with the militia, which it fought alongside during the civil war that had engulfed South Sudan for years following its independence in 2011.

Machar and several other individuals have since been accused of treason, crimes against humanity, terrorism, mass murder, and destruction of property, and a criminal trial is ongoing.

In October, Benjamin Bol Mel, another of South Sudan’s five vice presidents, was taken into military custody under direct orders from the office of President Salva Kiir, heightening fears that the country is slipping back into a state of civil war.

While the armed conflict is concentrated in Upper Nile State and Jonglei State, there are pockets of fighting in other parts of the country, triggering population movements both within South Sudan and across its borders.

The UN estimates at least 370,000 South Sudanese civilians have been displaced by violence since March, with many more fleeing to neighboring countries including Ethiopia.

In April, local officials in Gambella, which shares a long border with South Sudan, told The Reporter they were struggling to cope with the influx of refugees fleeing violence and air strikes.

Reports indicate that at least 50,000 South Sudanese refugees have crossed into Gambella in the months following Machar’s arrest.

They add to the estimated 430,000 South Sudanese refugees already sheltered in the region at a time when funding constraints are forcing humanitarian organizations like the World Food Program (WFP), the sole humanitarian assistance provider for over 1.1 million refugees and millions of IDPs in Ethiopia, to scale back aid programs.

Two months ago, WFP officials announced their decision to cut rations for more than 780,000 refugees in camps across Ethiopia to less than 1,000 calories a day in response to funding shortfalls.

It is against this backdrop that unrest and violence have erupted in Gambella in recent weeks.

Sources say the ethnic tensions in the region often involve refugees.

“Local residents in Gambella fear their land will be taken over by refugees. Ethnic groups point fingers at one another, each accusing the other of purposely hosting more refugees belonging to their own ethnicity. Dominating in numbers often means dominating resources,” said a humanitarian expert with experience working in Gambella.

Officials and humanitarian workers who spoke to The Reporter on condition of anonymity claim that members of armed groups operating in South Sudan are also entering Gambella disguised as refugees. These armed groups include SPLM-IO and the White Army members, sources told The Reporter.

Security concerns notwithstanding, the influx of refugees poses a serious burden for Gambella, which was already buckling under the strain of its large refugee population.

A UNHCR report indicates that 994 upgradable emergency shelters have been built to accommodate new refugees in the region, while an additional 611 shelters are underway.

A joint border monitoring mission, conducted by regional authorities and humanitarian partners, found over 800 makeshift shelters along the Baro River, accommodating an estimated 8,000 individuals in congested and precarious conditions, reveals the report.

It notes that new arrivals were and are being hosted by local communities, but many remain exposed to harsh weather, the risk of cholera, and face serious protection risks.

UNHCR warns that without a political resolution in South Sudan, increased cross-border movement remains very likely. The agency says it is conducting border monitoring to “uphold the civilian character of asylum and prevent the infiltration of armed elements.”

Meanwhile, sources in the region allege the cycle of unrest and violence in Gambella is due in part to a network of corrupt government officials and humanitarian organizations, who benefit by diverting aid resources.

“The reason the refugee crisis and ethnic conflict in Gambella has gone without resolution is because the officials benefit greatly from it. There exists a large and influential network composed of regional and federal officials, and international organizations working in Ethiopia that is involved in diverting aid. Flour, cooking oil, and other resources and materials are siphoned off into commercial markets. A huge amount of resources are embezzled by the officials but nobody, including security forces, dares to intervene because there are real heavyweights behind it,” a well-placed source told The Reporter.

The unrest in Gambella also raises concerns about Ethiopia’s new refugee policy.

The Makatet Roadmap, which translates to ‘inclusion’, was introduced earlier this year as Ethiopia’s country refugee response plan (CRRP) by experts at the Ethiopian Refugees and Returnees Services (RRS) and UNHCR.

Makatet forwards a number of initiatives designed to integrate refugees in Ethiopia, mainly in Gambella but also slated for implementation in Somali, Amhara, and others, to assimilate into local host communities and Ethiopia’s national development programs.

However, its critics argue the plan fails to consider the will of local host communities and argue that refugees should return to their country of origin when the situation allows.

Led by Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) president Lt. General Tadesse Worede, regional officials traveled to Addis Ababa this week for discussions with their federal counterparts. Talks with CBE executives were on the schedule for Friday.

Tadesse reportedly urged the bank to invest in sectors like construction to reduce the region’s high unemployment rate. Tadesse and his deputy, Amanuel Assefa, also requested CBE to provide loans for more than 60,000 people seeking housing in Tigray, according to a statement issued by the bank.

The request came a few days after the federal government notified commercial banks about the lifting of an embargo that had been placed on companies under the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT) during the two-year war.

The conglomerate had been the subject of an intense power struggle between Tigray’s political elite, with the TPLF faction led by Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael on one side and former TIA chief Getachew Reda on the other.

The TPLF has reportedly been attempting to replace EFFORT’s board and management team with loyal supporters since Tadesse replaced Getachew at the helm earlier this year. However, the opposing side, which includes former EFFORT CEO Beyene Mikru, managed to secure a court order to stop TPLF’s intentions for a reshuffle.

As TPLF moved to have the decision repealed, Getachew and his allies managed to secure a freeze on all accounts tied to nearly two dozen subsidiaries under the EFFORT conglomerate.

TPLF leaders and TIA officials have decried the freeze as severely impacting Tigray’s post-conflict recovery efforts. TPLF also has been using the situation as a political instrument to amplify tensions between Tigray and the federal government.

However, this week, as the TIA delegation headed by Tadesse arrived in Addis Ababa, the federal government lifted the injunction on EFFORT bank accounts.

A letter addressed to commercial banks from the Ministry of Justice states that the freeze on the bank accounts of 22 companies including Sur Construction has been lifted.

An official close to the matter expressed hope that the development will help ease tensions.

“The lifting of the ban is also good as several people in Tigray, including Dedebit MFI clients, can now access their accounts. Yet, the board and management of the conglomerate is still on the side of Getachew’s group,” the official told The Reporter.

Ephrem Mekuria, CBE vice president, told Tadesse’s team that the bank has been contributing to Tigray’s reconstruction in terms of rebuilding schools, health facilities and others, and will continue investing in the region.

Other topics the TIA delegation discussed with the federal government were not made public.

According to a statement issued jointly by the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Ethiopian Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) this week, critical funding shortfalls have forced drastic cuts to essential food and nutrition assistance, putting the lives and well-being of over 1.1 million refugees in Ethiopia at severe risk.

Officials warn of spiraling malnutrition, disease, and destabilization across the country’s refugee camps if the funding drought continues. The agency says it requires USD 142 million to support refugees in Ethiopia over the next six months.

The report states that malnutrition has been on a sharp rise since WFP was forced to cut rations for 780,000 refugees to just 40 percent of the standard entitlement in October. The agency now provides less than 1,000 calories a day to each refugee.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) echoed the warning.

“The consequences of inaction will be dire,” a UNHCR spokesperson said in the joint statement.

Beyond food assistance, shortages in funding and supplies have severely disrupted water and education services, according to the statement.

The WFP added that refugees now receive an average of only 12–14 liters of water per person per day, with levels falling to as low as five liters in some locations.

The statement identifies schools as being among the most affected services.

“Funding for 57 primary schools serving about 110,000 children has been exhausted,” it reads, “These schools are set to close on 31 December, 2025, leaving classrooms locked and teachers without pay.”

Ethiopia hosts refugees from neighboring countries, including Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia, with the report indicating that ongoing conflict and drought in these countries are driving new arrivals into Ethiopia.

“Ethiopia has kept its doors open, but it cannot bear this responsibility alone,” the agencies stated in the joint message. “We need sustained support to prevent further deterioration and to help refugees rebuild their lives with dignity.”

The Ministry of Finance has exempted properties in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa with a value of less than one million Birr from paying property taxes as officials seek to ease the growing tax burden on low-income households. The threshold drops to 250,000 Birr in municipal cities and 100,000 Birr in emerging towns.

Finance Minister Ahmed Shide issued a memo to city and regional administrations this week, attempting to clarify confusion over implementation procedures and rates for the Property Tax Proclamation ratified by Parliament in March this year.

The Ministry defines low-income households as one that is proven to be experiencing economic hardship, determined by local social affairs officials, and whose annual income does not exceed half of the national average per capita income.

The Minister has forwarded sample legislative documents for regional and city administrations to use in formulating their own property tax laws.

The model proclamation dictates the taxable value of a property will be a quarter of its market value, and sets a 0.1 percent floor and 10 percent ceiling for the tax rate, which local governments are to apply under four different categories.

In the first year, the minimum property tax threshold for emerging regions is 0.1 percent, while it is 0.45 for city administrations, according to the Ministry. By the fourth year, the rate goes up to one percent for both regions and city administrations.

Public roads, streets, dams, airports, power/water transmission poles and lines, parks, heritage sites, heritage properties, communal open spaces are exempted. Property owned and used by religious organizations, cemeteries, land used for subsistence agriculture, and property owned and used by organizations that provide free social services to the public are also exempted.

The statement, released on December 18, 2025, comes from the human rights commissions of Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, and Zambia.

They appeal for a fundamental shift toward rights-based migration governance, and warn that the migration is fueled by conflict, climate change, and limited legal pathways, leaving migrants exposed to grave risks like trafficking and violence.

“We call upon the national governments to adopt a human rights-based approach in migration governance,” reads the statement, urging governments to ratify and implement the international convention and faithfully implement the Global Compact for Migration.

“We urge member states to form and expand bilateral and multilateral agreements,” reads the statement. It also specifies these agreements must be rights-based, gender-inclusive, child-centered, and disability-responsive.

The coalition also called for the creation of platforms to enhance cooperation on migrant protection along the southern corridor, which runs from East to southern Africa, and reaffirmed a commitment to document migrant experiences and violations to recommend redress.

Issued in commemoration of International Migrants Day, the statement reiterates that member states have a legal obligation to uphold human rights for everyone under national and international law.

Mehreteab Ghebremeskel, director for IDP, refugee, and migrant rights at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), explained that the ratification of the International Convention has been an ongoing subject of discussion.

“It has been agreed upon in many stages,” he said. “The process is currently ongoing and discussions have been happening for quite some time at the level of the Ministry of Justice.”

He confirmed the process follows from agreements made within the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and said ratification is the responsibility of the ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs, with EHRC conducting advocacy.

Mehreteab observes that while national laws, including the constitution, provide a framework for protecting migrants, the formal ratification of international agreements would serve to strengthen these protections.

The government has instructed the central bank and the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) to establish a new joint cybersecurity and fraud department in a bid to patch vulnerabilities in Ethiopia’s fast-growing digital payment system.

A national financial cybersecurity framework is also reportedly in the works, with the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) and INSA expected to deliver within the coming year,

The country’s cybersecurity challenges took center stage at the launch of the second National Digital Payment Strategy this week.

“A major vulnerability in Ethiopia’s digital payments ecosystem is the lack of a coordinated, sector-wide cybersecurity and threat intelligence mechanism. At present, information on cyber incidents—including phishing campaigns, ransomware, malware, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, insider threats, and sophisticated fraud typologies—remains fragmented within individual institutions.This siloed approach prevents collective defence, leaving the ecosystem exposed to repeated exploitation of the same vulnerabilities across banks, MFIs, PIIs, PSOs, and telecom operators,” reads the document.

It outlines plans to establish a ‘Shared National Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence System within the NBE, which officials envision functioning as a secure, centralized hub for real-time intelligence exchange.

The document notes the absence of a unified, sector-specific cybersecurity framework creates inconsistent security standards across the financial ecosystem, leaving institutions vulnerable to an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape.

It proposes the establishment of a new National Payment System Council as the highest governing body for the strategy, providing executive-level support and mandate for its implementation. The council will be chaired by the NBE governor and include representatives from financial lobby groups such as the Ethiopian Bankers Association, according to the document.

It describes the establishment of a dedicated cybersecurity and fraud directorate within the NBE as crucial for dealing with the increasing sophistication and volume of cyber threats and financial fraud.

“Without a dedicated supervisory body, responsibility for managing these complex risks can become fragmented, hindering the development of a unified and proactive security posture for the nation’s financial system,” it reads.

The document’s authors foresee the directorate serving as the financial sector’s focal point for risk monitoring and incident response in partnership with security agencies such as INSA and the Financial Intelligence Service (FIS).

The document notes that at present, coordinating an effective response becomes complex and slow when fraudulent transactions cross between different financial service providers.

“Individual institutions lack visibility into the full, end-to-end transaction chain, which can delay resolution for consumers. Establishing a shared cybersecurity and fraud desk at the national switch operator addresses this operational gap,” it reads.

Two months ago, EthSwitch, the national switch operator, announced that person-to-person (P2P) transactions had surpassed ATM cash withdrawals for the first time.

The company reported processing more than 128 million interoperable P2P transactions, which include account-to-account and wallet-to-account transfers, valued at nearly 578 billion Birr over the year, highlighting Ethiopia’s rapid adoption of digital payments.

“Positioned at the heart of the payment system, switches have a unique view of interoperable transactions. A dedicated desk at this level can therefore act as a neutral and central coordination point for incident management,” reads the strategy document.

It calls for a National Financial Sector Cybersecurity Framework, which officials hope will harmonize existing directives into a single, risk-based standard aligned with international best practices.

The document notes that although Ethiopia’s established National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) —a cryptographic that ensures secure communication over a network—provides a foundational security layer for the entire country, financial institutions are largely yet to integrate.

The strategy mandates INSA to onboard all licensed banks, MFIs, PIIs and PSOs to embed Ethiopia’s National PKI into their core-banking systems, payment gateways and customer channels, using its digital certificates to sign and verify all interbank messages, authenticate payment instructions, provide non-repudiation, and enable fully remote, e-signature onboarding.

The strategy also includes plans for a national digital infrastructure working group made up of various agencies, including the National ID Program, to “coordinate and fast-track interoperability between payments and other digital public infrastructure, as well as coordinate data protection reforms.”

The document details that a lack of clarity on where responsibility and fault lies between financial institutions and consumers during instances of fraud often leaves the burden of loss from digital payment fraud almost entirely on the consumer.

This lack of a clear compensation mechanism weakens the incentive for financial institutions to invest in the advanced security systems needed to prevent such fraud and is a major barrier to building trust in the digital ecosystem, according to the strategy.

Officials plan to implement a directive for authorized push payment fraud they hope can help clarify the responsibilities and liability of consumers and financial institutions in preventing fraud.

“Such a policy would mandate that consumers are reimbursed in instances where financial institutions’ staff, agents, or systems are at fault for causing fraud or failing to adequately prevent fraud. Importantly, this would shift the responsibility for reimbursing victims, requiring both the sending and receiving financial institutions to share the cost of the loss, provided the consumer has acted with reasonable care and the financial institution can be deemed at fault,” reads the document.

While Ethiopia has a foundational financial consumer protection directive, its broad nature does not fully address the specific risks inherent in digital financial services, such as agent-related fraud or the complexities of instant payment disputes.

The strategy outlines plans to amend the directive to include a dedicated section for digital financial services.

 Much of the plans hinge on designating the Fayda ID as the primary, mandatory identifier for all new and existing financial accounts, which officials foresee creating a foundational “trust anchor” for the entire ecosystem and reducing the scope for fraud.

The strategy also sets a two-year deadline for the ratification and full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol in a bid to unlock cross-border e-commerce and digital payment flows.