How can Ethiopia’s laudable labor protections, designed to reward loyalty, be reconciled with the unique and sacred timeline of a child’s school year?

Ethiopia’s provision of severance pay for employees with five or more years of service is a cornerstone of equitable labor practice. It is a societal promise that sustained dedication deserves tangible security, a principle that commands full respect. This law rightly acknowledges the dignity of long service across all sectors. However, its uniform application inadvertently creates a severe dissonance within private education, a field governed not by the fiscal year alone, but by the immutable rhythm of the academic calendar.

In this context, a specific, problematic incentive has emerged. Upon reaching the five-year eligibility threshold, a teacher—though it is critical to state that this does not apply to all teachers—may find it financially rational to resign mid-term. They receive a significant lawful payout and, owing to the chronic demand for qualified educators, often secure a new position swiftly.

For the individual, this is a logical outcome within the current framework. For the school ecosystem, however, it is a destabilizing event.

The primary casualty is the quality of education. A student’s learning journey is a continuous narrative, not a series of disconnected lessons. A mid-year departure shatters hard-won teacher-student rapport, aborts carefully crafted lesson plans, and forces a scrambling institution to insert a replacement during a critical learning period. The disruption is profound and the educational loss, though difficult to quantify, is real.

This scenario pits a teacher’s individual legal entitlement against the collective right of students to a stable, coherent education. It is essential to clarify that this is not a story of widespread teacher exploitation of the system. Most educators are deeply committed professionals who honor their contracts. The issue, rather, is a structural mismatch.

The law states “five years equals entitlement,” without considering the pedagogical contract that underpin a teacher’s annual duty. Teaching is fundamentally different from many other forms of employment. Its efficacy is inextricably linked to seeing a defined cycle— the academic year—through to its natural conclusion. Leaving in March or October is not merely changing jobs; it is defaulting on an implicit promise made to every student and parent in that classroom.

It is best if a targeted, common-sense refinement to the severance pay provision for private school teachers is introduced. The principle must remain inviolable: the full financial entitlement accrued for five or more years of service is irrevocable. However, for voluntary resignations, the payout of this entitlement should be contingent upon the completion of the contracted academic year.

This proposal is preservative, not punitive. It is designed to align financial incentives with professional responsibility. It would not apply to dismissals, which are the employer’s decision, or to genuine unforeseen emergencies such as health crises. Its sole focus is the voluntary midyear resignation that maximized personal financial timing at the expense of educational continuity.

Implementation would require explaining some definitions, particularly of “due notice.” In education, standard 30-day notice is often insufficient to ensure a smooth transition. Notice should logically align with the academic calendar, requiring a term’s notice to allow for an orderly handover at a natural break, such as a semester’s end.

The benefits of such an adjustment are manifold. For schools, it provides operational stability, allowing them to protect their core mission—the uninterrupted delivery of quality education—and to invest confidently in long-term teaching talent without fearing a disruptive exodus at the five-year mark.

For parents and students, it safeguards the integrity of the learning process, ensuring that the teacher who begins the year’s story is there to write its conclusion. For the teaching profession itself, this change would formally recognize its unique cyclical nature, elevating its status by framing it as a vocation with distinct temporal responsibilities. It protects teachers from a potential backlash where schools might grow hesitant to hire or retain staff approaching the eligibility milestone.

Ultimately, this is an argument for making a good law contextually great. Ethiopia’s severance pay law is just. But true justice is practical and considers the specific realities of different sectors. By adding a clause that respects the sanctity of the academic year, we do more than protect a financial mechanism. We protect the educational process itself.  A teacher’s rightful reward for years of service should never come at the cost of their students’ current academic year.

We can, and must, craft policies that allow educators to be both fairly compensated professionals and the steadfast mentors our children deserve. The goal is to ensure that when the final bell rings in June, both report cards and professional consciences are unblemished, and the promise of a complete education has been faithfully kept.

Befikadu Eba is the founder and managing director of Erudite Africa Investments. He is a former banker with strong interests in economics, private sector development, public finance and financial inclusion. He can be reached at befikadu.eba@eruditeafrica.com.

Contributed by Befikadu Eba

Today, only 15 to 18 percent of Africa’s internal trade happens within the continent, compared to 68 percent in Europe and 59 percent in Asia. Closing this gap is essential if AfCFTA is to deliver prosperity to Africa’s 1.3 billion people.

A major constraint is the continent’s huge trade finance deficit, which exceeds USD 81 billion annually, according to the African Development Bank. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which provide more than 80 percent of the continent’s jobs, are the most affected. 

Many struggle with insufficient collateral, stringent risk profiling and compliance requirements that mirror international banking standards rather than the realities of African business.

To build integrated value chains, exporters and importers must operate within trusted, predictable, and interconnected financial systems. This requires strong pan-African financial institutions with both local knowledge and continental reach.

Homegrown trade finance is therefore indispensable. Pan-African banks combine deep domestic roots with extensive regional reach, making them the most credible engines for financing trade integration. By retaining financial activity within the continent, homegrown lenders reduce exposure to external shocks and keep liquidity circulating locally. They also strengthen existing regional payment infrastructure such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), developed by the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and backed by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, enabling faster, cheaper and seamless cross-border payments across the continent.

Digital transformation amplifies this advantage. Real-time payments, seamless Know-Your-Customer (KYC) verification, automated credit scoring and consistent service delivery across markets are essential for intra-African trade. Institutions such as Ecobank, operating in 34 African countries with integrated core banking systems, demonstrate how such digital ecosystems can enable continent-wide commerce.

Platforms such as Ecobank’s Omni, Rapidtransfer and RapidCollect, together with digital account-opening services, make it much easier for traders to operate across borders. Rapidtransfer enables instant, secure payments across Ecobank’s 34-country network, reducing delays in regional trade, while RapidCollect gives cross-border enterprises the ability to receive payments from multiple African countries into a single account with real-time confirmation and automated reconciliation. Together, these solutions create an integrated digital ecosystem that lowers friction, accelerates payments, and strengthens intra-African commerce.

Trust, however, remains a significant barrier. Cross-border commerce depends on the confidence that partners will honour contracts, deliver goods as promised, pay on time, and present authentic documentation. Traders often lack reliable information on potential partners, operate under different regulatory regimes, and exchange documents that are difficult to verify across borders. This heightens the risk of fraud, non-payment, and contractual disputes, discouraging business from expanding beyond familiar markets.

Technology is closing this trust gap. Artificial Intelligence enables lenders to assess risk using alternative data for SMEs without formal credit histories. Distributed ledger tools make shipping documents, certificates of origin, and inspection reports tamper-proof. In addition, supply-chain visibility platforms enable real-time tracking of goods and cross-border digital KYC ensures that both buyers and sellers are verified before any transaction occurs.

Ecobank’s Single Trade Hub embodies this trust infrastructure by offering a secure digital marketplace where buyers and sellers can trade with confidence, even in markets where no prior relationships exist. The platform’s Trade Intelligence suite provides customers instant access to market data from customs information and product classification tools across 133 countries.

Through its unique features such as the classification of best import/export markets, over 25,000 market and industry reports, customs duty calculators, and local and universal customs classification codes, businesses can accurately assess market opportunities, anticipate trends, reduce compliance risks, and optimise supply chains, ultimately helping them compete and grow in regional and global markets.

SMEs need more than financing. Many operate in cash-heavy cycles where suppliers and logistics providers require upfront payment. Lenders can support these businesses with advisory services, business intelligence, compliance guidance, and platforms for secure partner verification, contract negotiation, and secure settlement of payments. Trade fairs, industry forums, and partnerships with chambers of commerce further build the trust networks needed for cross-border trade.

Ultimately, Africa’s path toward meaningful trade integration begins with financial integration. AfCFTA’s promise will only be realised when enterprises can trade with confidence, knowing that payments will be honoured, partners verified, and disputes resolved. This requires collaboration between banks, regulators, and trade institutions, alongside harmonised financial regulations, interoperable payment systems, and continent-wide verification networks.

Africa can no longer rely on external actors to finance its trade. Its economic transformation depends on strong, trusted, and digitally enabled African financial institutions that understand Africa’s unique risks and opportunities. By building an African-led trade finance ecosystem, the continent can unlock liquidity, reduce dependence on external currencies, empower SMEs, and retain more value locally. Africa’s trade revolution will accelerate when its financing is driven by African institutions, African systems, and African ambition.

Cyprian Rono is the Director, Corporate and Investment Banking for Ecobank in East Africa markets.

Contributed by Cyprian Rono

Stepping into the role as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, the African Union, and our various other accreditations, I have to admit that no amount of pre-posting briefings could have truly braced me for the sheer scale of this remarkable nation. Its breathtaking cultural tapestry, woven with ancient threads, and the sobering political realities that underpin it all—well, they demanded a fresh perspective from the outset.

Those opening weeks were a trial by fire, as they say. Back then, though it feels like another lifetime now, the world was still reeling from the grip of COVID-19, and my whānau (family) and I had to navigate the pandemic’s lingering shadows as we unpacked our lives in a new home. No sooner had we shaken off those quarantines, the conflict in northern Ethiopia  escalated sharply, layering fresh complexities onto an already daunting adjustment. Travel restrictions, uncertainty, and the weight of distant headlines made getting ahead of the curve feel like chasing mirages in the Danakil.

Yet, I pen this farewell not to dwell on those testing times, but to honor the profound, indelible imprint that Ethiopia, and our broader African engagements, has left on my family and I. It is a  legacy far richer than any hardship could diminish.

Right from the start, we were enveloped in the warmth of Ethiopian hospitality. Friends, colleagues, and communities here opened their arms and their hearts, making us feel not as outsiders, but as kin. Despite being half a world away from New Zealand, we encountered nothing but genuine affection, steadfast friendship, and unwavering support from those who walked alongside us. In a place where ‘selam’ carries the weight of true welcome, it was impossible not to feel truly at home.

Over the course of my tenure, I was fortunate to traverse many of Ethiopia’s diverse landscapes, each journey a revelation. Standing amid the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela left me in awe: their ancient carvings, hewn from living stone by devout hands centuries ago, with whisperings of faith’s enduring power. Wandering the walled streets of Harar, that storied eastern enclave, and sharing stories with its gracious residents reminded me, in the simplest terms, that beneath our differences, we are all together people, bound by the universal pull of curiosity and kindness. While visiting places like Abala, Zalambessa and Dembi Dolo revealed starkly the strength and resilience of communities, their overwhelming desire for peace and to resolve their differences through dialogue.

And then there’s Addis Ababa itself, the beating diplomatic heart of Africa: a vibrant mosaic of cultures, where traditional injera houses sit just a turn away from diplomatic compounds, and the hum of blue taxies mingles with the call to prayer. I relished every moment of life here: the chats over buna, the gatherings that stretched into the night, and the deep bonds forged with folks who’ve become fixtures in both my professional ledger and personal story. These connections, built on mutual respect and shared laughter, are the quiet treasures I’ll carry forward.

Venturing beyond Ethiopia to our accredited nations, stretching from the sunbaked shores of East Africa to the verdant expanses of the West, was equally transformative. Of course, there were the formal duties: nurturing ties between New Zealand and these vibrant nations, from trade talks in Nairobi, attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kigali, to cultural exchanges in Accra. But beneath the diplomacy lay something more elemental: an unspoken thread linking people to people, one that bridges the Pacific’s island chains with Africa’s boundless horizons. It’s a reminder that our worlds, though oceans apart, are woven from the same human cloth.

No reflection on these years would be honest without acknowledging the trials that tested Ethiopia’s spirit. The scars of the Tigray conflict, the insurmountable humanitarian crises that cascaded in its wake, the persistent undercurrents of unrest, and the economic headwinds that have slowed the march toward modernization; these are the stark realities I bore witness to during my time here. They weighed heavy, as they should. Yet, amid the fray, what shone brightest was the unyielding perseverance and resilience of the Ethiopian people. In markets that buzzed despite shortages, in families that rebuilt from rubble, and in leaders who chose dialogue over division, as evidenced by the signing of COHA and the initiation of a national dialogue process, I saw a quiet strength that humbled me anew.

As I draw my tenure to a close and prepare to farewell this extraordinary land, I can’t help but share my earnest hopes for the nation and its people, who so effortlessly embody the defiant spirit of Adwa’s victory. Wherever the winds of fate carry me next, I long to hear only tidings of progress: that conversations have triumphed over conflict, that the silence of peace has drowned out the clamor of arms, and that Ethiopia has rallied as one to stitch its future from the fabric of its past.

I eagerly await my return, not as a wide-eyed newcomer or a fleeting visitor, but as a steadfast mate to the people of Ethiopia, ready to share a coffee and catch up on the triumphs yet to come.

And so, I bid a fond farewell to the country that cradled my family over the years , and to its magnificent souls, who extended to us a love as boundless as the highlands themselves. In the timeless words of New Zealand’s indigenous Māori whakataukī:

“He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.”
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

My deepest gratitude to the friends of New Zealand in Ethiopia, across our accreditations of Seychelles, Djibouti, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria, and far beyond: who turned my Posting, and my family’s sojourn, into an unforgettable chapter of the heart.

Ka mihi ki a koutou katoa.

Contributed by Michael Upton (Amb.)

Inside a restored theater at the heart of Addis Ababa University’s Yared School of Music — the storied institution founded in 1954 by the celebrated Ethiopian composer Ashenafi Kebede — hundreds gathered on a recent evening to witness a new voice reshaping the capital’s soundscape.

A year ago, few knew her name. Now, the artist known to fans simply as YEMa — born Yemariam Chernet — has become a sensation, selling out intimate shows at premium prices and drawing a crowd eager to claim they saw her ascent up close.

Young, self-possessed, and distinctly soulful, YEMa has captivated an unusually broad audience. Diplomatic staff, students, longtime culture buffs, and middle-class families all came to see the emerging star who appears remarkably aware of her moment.

Over a two-and-a-half-hour performance that felt more like a celebration than a showcase, audiences embraced her warm, commanding vocals — often invoking comparisons to the generation that defined Ethiopian pop. Aster Aweke, sometimes called Ethiopia’s Aretha Franklin, comes up often, as does Gigi, the transcendent 1990s vocalist who forged a global career with producer Bill Laswell, known for his work with U2.

“I want my music to be enjoyed by all kinds of people,” YEMa told Amajambo. “And I want it to help the world see Ethiopia as a place whose music can cross borders.”

Crossing borders is now part of her story. Just weeks earlier, she returned from a three-month tour of France — Paris, Lyon, and more than a dozen other cities — performing for an estimated 350,000 people in both solo and collaborative productions. The experience, she says, affirmed her sense of mission as a cultural ambassador on the rise.

Onstage in Addis Ababa, performing tracks from her debut album, “Yedega Sew,” including fan favorites “Shonbite,” “Lomeye,” and the tender ballad “Birk Birk,” she appeared energized, even relieved, to finally bring these songs home. Dancers representing multiple Ethiopian regions joined her throughout the set, reinforcing the inclusive, pan-Ethiopian identity she is shaping around her art.

For many in the crowd, this performance marked a milestone not only for the artist — but for the loyal supporters who watched her move from small club shows to the brink of stardom.

“This is a homecoming for me,” she said with a wide grin. “I’m so happy to see so many familiar faces.”

Her rise to prominence may seem meteoric, but her path was long in the making. YEMa has been singing since childhood, influenced partly by her father, who once managed the popular Zema Lastas Band.

She laughs when told she resembles her idol Gigi — a comparison she accepts with awe rather than entitlement. Growing up, she listened obsessively to the legendary vocalist, often imitating her phrasing and stage presence. “She is a musical genius,” YEMa says, her admiration unmistakable.

Now, with her own voice asserting itself on Ethiopia’s contemporary scene, she is determined to craft a new sound for a new generation — one that resists the formulaic, digitally manufactured music that dominates mainstream playlists.

“She is by far the most talented, dignified, and wonderful artist I have seen in two decades,” said Eyob Tilahun, dancing alongside his 10-year-old son. “She doesn’t need to expose herself or act outrageous to get attention. She is herself — and the talent speaks.”

YEMa’s sound reflects multiple influences — rooted in Gamo and Bonke traditions, then sculpted by the producer and arranger she calls her lifelong partner, Eyuel Mengistu, who many fans affectionately describe as a Quincy Jones–like figure in Ethiopia’s evolving music industry.

She recalls that after Eyuel introduced her to these textures — rarely heard in mainstream Ethiopian pop — she scrapped an entire already-finished LP.

 “It sounded like every other album,” she says. So she started over, embracing what she describes as “a blend of folk and world music” reminiscent of Paul Simon’s celebrated experiments in the 1980s, when African sounds reshaped global pop sensibilities.

Among those drawn to her freshness is Tedros Alemayehu, a soft-spoken man in his late 60s who fondly remembers Motown classics and the golden era of Ethiopian music led by Tilahun Gessesse. “She can extend that legacy,” he said, after joining yet another standing ovation.

YEMa is growing accustomed to such responses. After each show, the applause stretches on, often long after the final note fades.

“This is the ultimate satisfaction,” she said, reflecting on what still feels like the beginning of a much larger journey.

(This article first appeared in Amjambo Africa)

While most young men from his community embark on perilous journeys toward Yemen and Libya, gambling their lives for a chance to reach Europe or the Gulf, Alemu returned home. After months working as a construction laborer in Bishoftu for a wage he says “barely covered daily expenses,” he faced a future that, in his words, “looked completely empty.”

“I didn’t see a way forward in the city, and people my age thought farming had no future,” he said. “But now I’m earning enough to support my family, and I’m even planning to expand into bee farming.”

Alemu is part of a growing cohort of young people finding new promise in agriculture, aided by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a Seoul-based organization working to modernize farming in low-income communities. Over the past two years, the Institute has introduced training and technology to roughly 400 farmers in the region, helping them shift from subsistence production to sustainable, market-oriented agriculture. The effort—funded by the Italian government under a project titled Fostering Food Security to Prevent Conflict and Ensure Stability—includes access to vermicompost, climate-smart tools, and support to help farmers become food secure and profitable.

Among the beneficiaries is Alemu’s father, 50-year-old Baba Morki, a lifelong farmer in AbjataKebele of Adami Tulu JidoKombolchaWoreda. He has witnessed not only his own transformation but that of his neighbors.

Baba has been part of the program from the start, receiving training in entrepreneurship, organic market linkages, and the use of solar-powered irrigation systems—three of which now irrigate a combined 130 hectares in an area once defined by chronic water shortages. For the first time, he no longer relies on grid electricity, and year-round farming has become possible.

“In the past, if the weather failed us, we sold livestock just to survive,” he said. “It kept us poor and without hope.”

Today, Baba says, the change is visible everywhere. Herds are growing. Income is more stable. Young people, once determined to flee the village, are beginning to see farming as a viable livelihood rather than a last resort.

“Before, our work was seasonal and labor intensive. Now we farm continuously, earn more, and finally dream bigger for our children,” he said. “They no longer need to leave home to build a future.”

Both Baba and his son have earned enough from their fields to build modern homes—an unlikely outcome just a few years ago.

GGGI, which began operations in Ethiopia in 2010, aims to help the country build a climate-resilient green economy by 2030 and reduce its reliance on emergency food aid. More than 10 million Ethiopians currently require humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.

The shift toward sustainable agriculture is also reshaping young people’s aspirations beyond the farms themselves. In Batu, 21-year-old waiter and tourism graduate Brook Teshome recalls planning his own journey abroad. He had saved what little he could from long shifts, fully prepared to attempt the clandestine route through Djibouti.

But watching farmers—including his older brother—reap the benefits of the new practices has changed his thinking.

“I used to believe the only way to succeed was to leave,” he said. “Now I see young people making something of themselves here, if they can get land. I’m even considering becoming a farmer instead of working for someone else.”

A similar transformation is underway in Bulbula, where farmer AmanGemeda has expanded his operations with the help of solar irrigation and vermicompost on land that now sits alongside the new Batu–Hawassa freeway.

Aman says that many people are seeing farming in a different light.“My experience is showing others that farming can be different—that we’re not defined by the shortages and hunger that once shaped our lives,” Aman said.

No one understands the cost of war better than the people of Tigray. Having endured the devastating consequences of armed conflict both in recent years and over the course of history, Tigrayans know firsthand that war delivers no winners, only destruction. The scars of recent violence remain fresh: shattered infrastructure, displaced communities, and countless lives lost or permanently altered.

Despite these valuable lessons, there are alarming signs of renewed political polarization. A persistent “us versus them” mindset among parts of the region’s political leadership has fostered a divisive atmosphere. This approach has given rise to groups that exploit the situation for personal or factional gain, further deepening societal rifts.

The digital battleground has exacerbated the problem. Toxic narratives and inflammatory content shared via social media are fueling mistrust, inciting anger, and stalling efforts at genuine reconciliation. At a time when collective healing and unity are desperately needed, this online discord threatens to plunge Tigray into deeper turmoil.

At the heart of the current crisis is a leadership vacuum—a failure to prioritize inclusive dialogue over political competition. Tigray’s recovery, both physical and political, remains incomplete largely because its leaders have yet to present a coherent, people-centered vision for the future.

Many in Tigray now question the role of former political elites, especially elements within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), whom critics accuse of placing partisan interests above the broader welfare of the region. But it is also true that political conflict cannot persist without public support. If the people refuse to be mobilized for another round of destructive confrontation, no leadership, however powerful, can sustain it.

That is why the responsibility now falls on Tigray’s youth, civil society, religious leaders, and ordinary citizens to become vocal advocates for peace. Through organized, peaceful expression—not silence or submission—the public can pressure political actors to prioritize negotiation over confrontation.

Religious institutions, historically trusted voices in Tigrayan society, must also rise to the occasion. Their moral authority can play a pivotal role in encouraging dialogue, tempering extremism, and reminding communities that the spiritual cost of fratricide is as great as the material one.

Tigrayans must not allow internal divisions to derail what should be a unified demand: the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement and the resolution of territorial disputes through constitutional means. Without peace, no amount of aid, investment, or reconstruction will yield sustainable progress.

Forums already exist to address these challenges. What’s lacking is the collective will to engage them in good faith. The alternative—further fragmentation, instability, and possibly renewed violence—is a road Tigray cannot afford to travel again.

History has shown that the determined, peaceful voice of the people is a powerful force. It can stop wars. It can usher in democratic change. Today, that voice is urgently needed.

If Tigray is to escape the shadow of its past and forge a new future, it must reject internal enmity and embrace unity, consultation, and compromise.

The time to speak, and to act, Is now.

Contributed by Gebremichael Negash

Opportunity

Since its inauguration in 2018, the expo serves to expand China’s opening-up and transform its vast market into global opportunities.

China’s immense market, with over 1.4 billion people, including more than 400 million middle-income earners, offers a diversified market space ripe with potential. As Chinese consumers continue to pursue a higher quality of life, China has actively expanded imports, sharing development opportunities globally. It has remained its position as the world’s second-largest import market for 16 consecutive years. Bolstered by this mega-market, the previous seven editions of the CIIE generated more than USD 500 billion in intended deals, making the expo a key window for China’s opening-up and a premier platform for global economic cooperation.

The 8th CIIE is scheduled to take place from November 5 to 10, attracting 4,108 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries, regions, and international organizations to a space exceeding 430,000 square meters. African participation has grown notably, with 17 countries set to join the Country Exhibition and an 80 percent year-on-year increase in the number of participating businesses. Signature African products, from Nigerian soybeans and Beninese pineapples to Burundian coffee, will be showcased together—a clear testament to the strong appeal of the Chinese market.

Tangible outcomes tell the most compelling story. For example, Nigerian cashews, once a product largely unknown to Chinese consumers, now enjoy soaring demand thanks to the CIIE platform. Since Rwandan dried chili peppers entered the Chinese market in 2021, chili farming has become an important export industry, benefiting thousands of local farmers. More recently, in 2024, African specialties such as Zambian honey, Kenyan flowers, and Beninese pineapples emerged as popular products at the expo.

Sharing

This year, the CIIE will expand its dedicated zone for African products and launch a cross-border e-commerce showcase platform, extending support from offline exhibitions to online promotion.

China’s commitment to expanding market access for African countries is ongoing. Starting December 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines to all least developed countries (LDCs) with which it has diplomatic relations, including 33 African nations.

In July 2025, 38.4 tons of Burundian Arabica coffee beans were successfully shipped directly to China for the first time under the zero-tariff policy, marking Burundi’s first direct export of raw coffee to the Chinese market. Subsequently, enterprises from both sides signed contracts for over 900 tons and USD five million, providing a significant boost to Burundi’s agricultural exports and economic growth.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, from the launch of the zero-tariff initiative to this March, China’s imports from African LDCs reached USD 21.42 billion, a 15.2 percent year-on-year increase. This demonstrates the continued remarkable success of China-Africa trade.

Partnership

China and Africa share a profound and enduring relationship, characterized by friendship, partnership, and shared aspirations.

Hassan Mohammed, the trade commissioner of the Trade Office of the Consulate General of Nigeria in Shanghai, has attended every session of the CIIE. He recalled that at the 7th CIIE, 13 of the 16 participating Nigerian companies successfully secured business agreements, including a notable USD 1.2 million contract for cocoa beans.

Mohammed believes the CIIE has paved a road to commercial success for Nigerian businesses. He highlighted that through joint ventures with Chinese partners, Nigerian companies are now able to scale production, leading to the creation of more jobs in Nigeria and increase incomes for the Nigerian people.

In 2024, China-Africa trade surged to USD 295.6 billion, a robust 4.8 percent year-on-year increase. For an impressive 16 consecutive years, China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trading partner and has become the continent’s second-largest importer of agricultural products.

An African proverb wisely states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The CIIE, in turn, serves as a vivid embodiment of this sentiment, showcasing how China and Africa are effectively transforming market opportunities into shared development.

The expo’s impact extends far beyond boosting trade in products like coffee, cashews, and fresh flowers. It empowers African enterprises to expand production, create new job opportunities, and gain direct access to China’s vast consumer market.

By walking forward together, China and Africa are not just going farther—they are opening broader markets, unlocking unprecedented growth potential, and forging a shared future, hand in hand.

Qin Mei is an experienced journalist working for CGTN.

Contributed by Qin Mei

The Challenge of Financing Grid Expansion

Electrifying a country of more than 120 million people, spread across vast and often sparsely populated regions, is one of the most complex development challenges anywhere in the world. Extending high-voltage transmission lines requires huge upfront investment, years of construction, and sustained financing. Despite these difficulties, Ethiopia has made major progress: millions more households are now connected to electricity compared to a decade ago. The pace may not fully match the ambitious targets set out in national plans, but that reflects the enormous scale of the task—not a lack of commitment.

This is where GERD opens a new path. With projected annual export earnings of about USD 600 million (including incremental revenues from new power generation) the dam provides Ethiopia with a reliable hard-currency stream. If even one-third of these revenues—about USD 200 million per year—were dedicated to a National Electrification Fund, the country could unlock USD two billion over the next decade.

That amount would be enough to finance solar access for as many as 7 to 10 million households. Considering that roughly 10 million Ethiopian households remain unelectrified, this is an opportunity to close most of the access gap within a single decade. (This assumes additional two million households are connected to the grid due to their optimal location for low cost installation).

A Self-Financing Model

The economics work in Ethiopia’s favor. We estimate the average solar equivalent cost per household may average about USD 300. (Many homes may be happy with an USD 75 solar home system, some may prefer a solar with 500W solar generator at USD 250 and some may demand a 3kW system for USD 1,500), creating a total market opportunity of nearly USD three billion. Families already spend heavily on kerosene, diesel, and disposable batteries—often more than the cost of solar products loaned repayments. By redirecting these expenditures toward clean energy systems, households can achieve a fast payback, usually, less than two years. As loans are repaid, the Fund replenishes itself, creating a sustainable, revolving financing model without burdening the national budget.

Powering Industry Alongside Households

The impact extends well beyond household electrification. By linking the Fund to local manufacturers, Ethiopia can scale up domestic production of solar lanterns, home systems, and generators. Companies already operating in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa demonstrate that the technical capacity exists. With stable, large-scale demand, these firms could expand, create jobs, and reduce imports—while positioning Ethiopia to supply neighboring East African markets with affordable energy products.

From a Dam to a Nationwide Transformation

The GERD has already given Ethiopia much to be proud of. But its true potential lies in what comes next: transforming export revenues into universal electrification and industrial strength. By combining ambitious grid expansion with an innovative financing mechanism for solar, Ethiopia can ensure that every household, no matter how remote, gains access to modern power.

In this way, GERD becomes more than a dam. It becomes the engine of a virtuous cycle—financing universal energy access, supporting domestic industry, and laying the foundation for inclusive growth. Ethiopia has achieved a milestone in building the dam; the next leap is to harness its revenues to power every home and every factory in the nation.

Solomon Tedla is an impact investor and entrepreneur. He has extensive experience working with private equity partners, managing global customer and supplier relations, conducting market value assessments, and implementing turnaround strategies. His expertise also extends to evaluating M&A opportunities and driving business growth.

Contributed by Solomon Tedla

The statement in question reads: “Recognizing Egypt’s heavy reliance on the Nile River in a context of its water scarcity, the EU reiterates its support to Egypt’s water security and the compliance with international law, including concerning the Ethiopian Dam.” It goes on to encourage cooperation based on “prior notification, cooperation and ‘do no harm’.”

This language, rather than being a simple plea for regional harmony, strongly echoes Egypt’s established position. It is a statement that is noteworthy for what it says, but perhaps even more so for what it omits.

A Deliberately One-Sided “Recognition”

The statement opens by “Recognizing Egypt’s heavy reliance on the Nile.” This is an undisputed fact. But it is a carefully selected fact.

The statement does not, for example, also “recognize” Ethiopia’s reliance on the very same river, which originates on its territory, to provide basic electricity to over 60 million of its citizens. There is no “recognition” of Ethiopia’s sovereign right to development, or that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a hydropower project designed to generate electricity, not to consume or divert water.

By framing the issue exclusively through the lens of Egyptian “scarcity,” the EU adopts a narrative that casts the Nile as a zero-sum game. It overlooks the reality that for Ethiopia, the dam represents a critical engine for development and poverty alleviation. This approach does not reflect full impartiality, as it appears to privilege one nation’s “historical” use over another nation’s future development needs.

A Selective Interpretation of “International Law”

The statement’s most problematic element is its selective invocation of “international law.” By linking “support to Egypt’s water security” with “compliance with international law, including concerning the Ethiopian Dam,” the EU implies that Ethiopia and its dam may not be in compliance.

This reflects a deeply contentious Egyptian talking point. The “law” Egypt frequently cites is the 1959 agreement, a treaty between Egypt and Sudan that allocated the Nile’s water between themselves, granting no water to Ethiopia (the source of 86% of the water) or other upstream riparian states. This agreement is not universally accepted as “international law”; it is a document that Ethiopia and other upstream nations have consistently rejected.

The cornerstone of modern international water law, as codified in the UN Watercourses Convention, is not the “do no harm” principle in isolation. The primary, guiding principle is “equitable and reasonable utilization.” This principle exists to balance the needs of all riparian states, ensuring that downstream countries are protected from significant harm while simultaneously guaranteeing that upstream countries can develop their own resources.

The EU’s statement conspicuously omits any mention of “equitable and reasonable utilization.” Instead, it cherry-picks the “do no harm” principle, which Egypt has long used to argue against upstream development. This is not a balanced endorsement of international law; it is a notable distortion of it.

Undermining African-Led Solutions

For years, the primary forum for this dispute has been the tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, mediated by the African Union (AU). The EU has, until now, been an observer to this process.

With this statement, the EU has unfortunately compromised its credibility as a mediator and weakened the AU-led process. It becomes more difficult for Egypt to negotiate or compromise in good faith within the African-led framework when it has just received a bilateral endorsement of its position from a global partner like the EU.

This move risks disincentivizing Cairo from making concessions, pushing a fragile regional diplomatic process, the only one that has shown a path forward, closer to a stalemate.

An Unscrupulous Quid Pro Quo

One must ask why the EU would make such a one-sided declaration. The answer may lie in the rest of the “strategic partnership” agreement. The EU is providing billions of euros to Egypt in a package widely understood to be linked to Cairo’s cooperation on stemming migration to Europe.

If this is the case, the EU may be engaging in short-sighted foreign policy. It appears to have traded its neutrality on the Nile, an issue of existential importance for the future development and stability of half a billion people across 11 African nations, for domestic political gains on migration.

A Path Beyond Colonial Water Law

This statement represents a significant diplomatic misstep. It aligns the EU with a one-sided interpretation of water rights rooted in colonial-era agreements and overlooks the legitimate development aspirations of Ethiopia and other upstream states. If the EU is serious about stability in the Horn of Africa, it should reconsider this partisan language. Instead of appearing to give effect to outdated colonial treaties, the EU should encourage its new strategic partner, Egypt, to engage constructively with its neighbours by signing and ratifying the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), a viable and modern legal instrument for governing the river. The EU should reaffirm its commitment to all principles of international water law, starting with “equitable and reasonable utilization”, and lend its full, impartial support to the African Union-led process. True partnership is built on bridging divides, not widening them.

Yonas Tesfa Sisay (PhD) is an attorney-at-law and legal consultant

Contributed by Yonas Tesfa Sisay (PhD)

WTO membership requires compliance with global standards that can encourage the inflow of new technologies. This will facilitate knowledge transfer into key sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and ICT. International research agencies and donors often prioritize WTO members for joint initiatives and capacity-building projects, thereby opening doors to more external funding. Membership would also enhance Ethiopia’s ability to participate in multi-country research consortia, improving visibility and scientific impact.

For higher education, WTO membership would stimulate academic mobility, partnerships with leading universities, and the harmonization of academic standards with global best practices. It would encourage the growth of research-intensive industries and foster stronger university–industry linkages, creating fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, Ethiopian scholars and students would gain broader access to international academic networks, joint degree programs, and collaborative research initiatives that could raise the quality and relevance of local institutions.

From a development perspective, WTO membership signals policy predictability and international credibility, making Ethiopia a more attractive destination for investors. This, in turn, creates opportunities for research commercialization and innovation hubs. By adopting WTO-consistent frameworks such as TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights), Ethiopia can protect indigenous knowledge and biodiversity while also fostering innovation-driven industries. Membership would encourage growth in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and the digital economy—areas where higher education and research institutions can play a direct role in shaping policies and training skilled human capital.

WTO integration will also help Ethiopia align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals by strengthening innovation ecosystems, expanding industrial capacity, and promoting inclusive development.

Although the advantages are significant, it will be crucial to guarantee that liberalization does not weaken local industries, particularly agriculture and small businesses. Policies should mitigate brain drain and guarantee that the advantages of global research cooperation benefit all universities, including developing regional institutions. Intellectual property systems should also safeguard Ethiopia’s native medicinal practices, biodiversity, and cultural heritage against exploitation.

Ethiopia’s accession to the WTO offers more than trade liberalization. It can serve as a catalyst for knowledge-driven development. By enabling access to global research networks, strengthening higher education institutions, and fostering innovation-intensive industries, WTO membership can position Ethiopia as a competitive and knowledge-based economy. The challenge will be to establish policies that maximize these opportunities while protecting national interests and ensuring fair access to the advantages of globalization. I am hopping that the government is already working to address this challenge.

 Taye Beyene Demissie is a professor at the University of Botswana.

Contributed by Taye Beyene Demissie (Prof.)