News: #Addis_Abeba city transport bureau announces public transport tariff hike
Addis Abeba – The Addis Abeba City Administration Transport Bureau has announced a new increase in public transport tariffs following the recent rise in retail fuel prices.
The revised tariff structure, which takes effect on 16 March 2026, applies to minibus taxis, midibuses, city buses, and Bajaj services, according to the Bureau.
Under the new rates, the fare for minibus taxis for distances of up to 2.5 kilometers will remain 10 ETB, while fares for longer distances have increased proportionally.
Passengers traveling up to 10 kilometers will now pay 35 ETB, while the maximum 20-kilometer route has been set at 55 ETB.
For midibuses, fares for trips of up to 8 kilometers are set at 15 ETB. For longer distances, including routes between 20 and 24 kilometers, passengers will pay 40 ETB, while the maximum 28-kilometer route will cost 45 ETB.
Read more: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2033073893871636574?s=20
#Ethiopia: Federal Police say its forces "seize illegal weapons" intended for "terrorist purposes" after arriving in #Addis_Abeba from #Amhara region
Addis Abeba: The Ethiopian Federal Police claimed its forces have “seized illegal weapons”, “intended for terrorist purposes” after the arms allegedly arrived in Addis Abeba “from the Amhara region.”
In a statement, the Federal Police said the first seizure occurred at the Legetafo checkpoint, where officers “intercepted a vehicle”.
Following what the federal police claimed as a “rigorous inspection,” authorities discovered “eight AK-47 assault rifles, 151 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 17 rounds of Bren machine gun ammunition, and seven AK-47 magazines concealed inside the vehicle.”
“The illegal weapons were being transported for terrorist purposes,” the Federal Police said, adding that the suspects were “detained at the scene.”
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2037186920086733010?s=20
#Op_ed: Rights on Paper, Barriers in Practice: Inside #Ethiopia’s broken housing registration system for persons with disabilities
Ethiopia has strong legal frameworks protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, yet Biruk Eshetu G/Kidan argues that a significant gap persists between policy and implementation. He highlights that, while a five-percent housing quota exists in #Addis_Abeba to correct structural inequalities, bureaucratic hurdles have turned a "straightforward administrative process" into an exhausting ordeal.
Applicants at the City Housing Development Corporation face a "burden of bureaucracy," including missing database entries, no submission receipts, and no dedicated service desks.
Biruk notes that “the challenge is not the absence of rights on paper but the difficulty of accessing them in practice.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56137
#Op_ed: Rethinking #Ethiopia’s Infrastructure Priorities: When urban makeovers masquerade as development
The recent urban renewal in #Addis_Abeba and other urban centers is being sold as national progress, but the author of this opinion piece argues the government is merely “conflating urban beautification with productive infrastructure.”
He explains that genuine infrastructure, such as power grids and logistics networks, drives long-term growth, while aesthetic projects are “complementary,” and in a resource-constrained economy, the “opportunity cost matters.” Public debate is suppressed, leaving citizens fearful, so “development risks becoming a bullying tactic rather than a public good.”
The author emphasizes that “development is not the performance of sophistication,” contending instead that true progress requires the “distribution of opportunity—and the consent of the people it affects.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=55027
#Opinion: Savior or Silent Thief: Social Media’s grip on #Ethiopia’s young generation
Fikru Hussien argues that when a TikTok video propelled a young musician in #Addis_Abeba to stardom, it highlighted how Ethiopia’s youth—nearly 70% of the population—navigate opportunity and uncertainty. He notes, “For today’s youth, social media is no longer optional; it has become the central arena of daily life.”
Social media offers unprecedented access to creativity, entrepreneurship, education, and civic engagement, enabling youth to build brands, mobilize communities, and learn beyond the classroom. Yet, risks persist: attention spans shrink, misinformation spreads, and mental health suffers.
Fikru emphasizes, “Whether social media becomes a ladder to opportunity or a trap of distraction depends on how responsibly society guides its use.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56086
News: Media Authority Board Chair praises new AI-driven integrated system’s role in enforcing accountability, oversight
Speaking at the inauguration on 1st of May, Ambassador Redwan Hussein, Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) who is also Chairperson of the EMA Board, described the system as a decisive break from opaque and manual practices.
Furthermore, the new platform will introduce full traceability of permits and compliance, he said. “We will know to whom we gave a permit and when it expires. Evidence will be generated upon expiry.” He highlighted its contribution to address cases including “someone who takes a permit to work in #Addis_Abeba will no longer be found working at the edge of #Gambella in the middle of the night, an issue we faced under the old system.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56731
#Eid celebrations are underway across #Ethiopia, with communities marking the occasion through prayers, gatherings, and acts of charity.
In #Addis_Abeba, thousands gathered at the city’s stadium and open prayer grounds early this morning, reflecting the city’s vibrant spirit of togetherness. Here are some pictures showing how Eid was celebrated in the capital. (Pic: FANA, ETV)
News: Italy to hold second #Italia–#Africa Summit in #Addis_Abeba on 13 February
Italy will hold the second Italia–Africa Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government in Addis Abeba on 13 February, the Italian government has announced.
The summit, announced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her beginning-of-year press conference, will be held in Africa for the first time and will take place alongside the African Union (AU) Summit, on the eve of the AU Heads of State and Government Assembly.
As part of the programme, Prime Minister Meloni, who is expected to attend as a guest of honour, will deliver an address to the opening plenary session of the AU Assembly scheduled for the morning of 14 February.
According to the announcement, the summit is aimed at strengthening Italy’s strategic relations with African countries and consolidating the objectives of the....
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0c3zri2K5aBTgtge3x1FMXy4dG4x9q2LkEHX11H2GhapPwPPnU38JCs8N9WPiAJ1Gl
News: #Ethiopia rolls out national #EV charging network in E-Mobility push
Ethiopia’s state-owned Ethiopian Electric Utility (#EEU) is rolling out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations as part of a government strategy to accelerate the shift to low-emission transport.
According to EEU communications director Anwar Abrar, the program will be implemented in two phases.
The first phase involves installing 40 stations, most of them in the capital, #Addis_Abeba. Three are already operational. Another 32 are expected to become operational in the city, with eight more planned in surrounding areas in the coming months.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the country’s electric vehicle fleet has grown from zero to more than 140,000 units in three to four years. To support that growth, 2,300 charging points are planned nationwide, including about 1,176 in Addis Abeba......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02Q2x7SDdLdnaWLSr82ypwEUsMkCb59DbTBLBQKZfzuGqwe4Dw8FDLygzBfJNU3DHml
News: #Tigray marks Adwa anniversary amid renewed political tensions
Authorities in Tigray have commemorated the 130th anniversary of the historic Battle of #Adwa, framing the occasion not only as a celebration of past triumph but also as a reflection of the region’s current political and territorial challenges.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau described the 1896 victory at Adwa as a defining moment of African resistance and a symbol of resilience deeply rooted in Tigray’s history.
The bureau emphasized the role of Tigrayan forces in late 19th-century battles against Ottoman, Egyptian, Italian and Dervish expansionist campaigns, highlighting the leadership of Ras Alula Abanega in key confrontations at Gundet, Gura and Dogali prior to the decisive defeat of Italian forces at Adwa.
However, this year’s commemoration unfolded against a backdrop of heightened tensions between #Mekelle and #Addis_Abeba......
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=55504
#Opinion: Cost of Modernizing Addis: When progress pushes small businesses out
In recent years, #Ethiopia is undergoing rapid transformation, with digitalization expanding across daily life and #Addis_Abeba experiencing one of its most ambitious urban overhauls. However, Abraham Abebe Asfaw argues in this opinion piece that such ambition risks overwhelming the small and medium enterprises (#SMEs) that employ roughly 70% of the urban population.
He explains that tens of thousands of businesses are cancelling their licenses. This issue extends beyond tax compliance, as the combined pressures of taxation, informal payments, and displacement have eliminated the “margin that allowed firms to survive.”
Abraham emphasizes that “ignoring this distress is costly” and cautions that “development without guardrails risks becoming extractive rather than enabling.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54697
#Policy_Brief: Rebuilding Collective Humanitarian Governance: Case for Area-Based Coordination in #Ethiopia
Nigussie Tefera argues Ethiopia’s crisis is a "protracted governance challenge" requiring systemic reform. Area-Based Coordination (#ABC)" shifts focus from sectors to place-based governance, decentralizing power to align with federalism.
Despite coordination forums, "power and funding remain concentrated in #Addis_Abeba," leaving locals with "implementation roles but little authority." ABC could address this, but "without reforming funding governance, decentralization will remain symbolic."
The key question isn’t ABC’s viability but Ethiopia’s commitment to institutionalizing it with clear governance, sustainable funding, and collective accountability. "Nigussie underscores, "Ethiopia doesn’t need more coordination—it needs smarter, area-based coordination."
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56242