Ethiopia Earns Record $1.5 Billion from Nine Months Coffee Exports
Ethiopian and Vietnamese Governments Sign MoUs
Ethiopian and Vietnamese Governments Sign MoUs on Trade, Education, and Civil Aviation
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Vietnamese government signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) focused on trade and educational cooperation. The MoUs are part of a broader effort to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries. The two countries also exchanged a note on civil aviation cooperation, which will pave the way for the launch of direct flights between Addis Ababa and Hanoi by state-owned Ethiopian Airlines. This marks the first official visit by an Ethiopian head of government to Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established fifty years ago.
Fano Militia Attack in Amhara Region Results in Security Personnel Casualties and Civilian Deaths
A surprise attack by the Fano militia in Bibugn district, East Gojjam zone, Amhara region, led to the deaths of several government security personnel. The militia infiltrated Digo Tsion town from multiple directions, attacking military camps. In the aftermath, the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) reportedly killed an unknown number of civilians in what local residents described as a reprisal action. Following the attack, businesses in the town were closed, and transportation services were disrupted between Digo Tsion and neighbouring districts, including the regional capital, Bahir Dar.
National Rehabilitation Commission Reintegrates Over 20,000 Former Combatants
Ethiopia's National Rehabilitation Commission has successfully reintegrated 20,253 former combatants from Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Afar regions as part of the first phase of the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process. However, the DDR phase in Tigray remains stalled due to political and technical issues since 2024. The commission had initially planned to resume the DDR process in Tigray in early March. Both the new President of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration (IRA), General Tadesse Woreda, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have expressed their commitment to the full implementation of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), which includes the DDR process.
Tigray High Court Orders Payment of Delayed Salaries to Teachers
A regional High Court in Tigray has ruled in favor of teachers who have been demanding payment for 17 months of delayed salaries due to the 2020-22 war in northern Ethiopia. In a petition filed in November 2024, the Tigray Teachers Association had asked the court to mandate the Interim Regional Administration (IRA) and the Federal Government to pay the overdue salaries. The Federal Ministry of Finance and the regional Finance Bureau were ordered to make the payments. In December 2024, the IRA, under the leadership of former President Getachew Reda, had extended the suspension on lawsuits regarding delayed salary payments for public and private employees.
Ethiopia Earns Record $1.5 Billion from Coffee Exports
Ethiopia has generated a record $1.508 billion from coffee exports in the past nine months, surpassing its target by 148%. This revenue was achieved from exporting 299,607 tonnes of coffee, marking a significant increase from the previous year. The revenue is up by 81% compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. Saudi Arabia remains the largest importer of Ethiopian coffee, purchasing 53,844 tonnes (18% of the total export volume), followed by Germany and the U.S.
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