#Ethiopia: Ahmed is throttling free expression in #Ethiopia: The Economist
“Bold are the pens that remain unshaken.”
In today’s Ethiopia “journalists often disappear mysteriously nowadays, taken by unidentified men to undisclosed places on suspicion of unspecified crimes.”
The latest victim is Million Beyene, managing editor of the Addis Standard, a prominent newspaper and one of the few local outlets still brave enough to criticize the government. On April 15th masked men in civilian clothes abducted Mr Million from the newspaper’s office in Addis Ababa, the capital, saying he was “needed for questioning”. No one has heard from him since.
The police deny that Mr Million is in their custody. But in February the government had revoked the Standard’s license, accusing it of violating unspecified laws and endangering “the national interest”. Last year security forces raided the paper’s office and detained its journalists. Many have resigned for fear of government reprisals.
Scores of Ethiopian journalists have been arrested, beaten or forced into exile. Many foreign reporters have been expelled. In 2024 one was arrested while meeting an opposition politician and then deported. The politician was assassinated a few weeks later.
The government promises more persecution. In February an official at the media regulator claimed that the Standard and others were waging a “co-ordinated information war” against Ethiopia. Fighting them was a matter of “national survival”. Ethiopia’s “sword remains unsheathed”, he added.
Bold are the pens that remain unshaken. https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0XEUAL17WeumygXCeoqw4eRFZpALqdCfsBinQVHeVRL4XVDxWki22gEk5EdTgn9ztl
#Ethiopia: New bank credit regulation to ensure industry receives fair share of financing in the making, PM Abiy
PM Abiy said the regulation, expected “within the next few weeks, perhaps in less than a month”, aims to correct what he described as imbalance in credit allocation.
Beyond the credit gap however, Ethiopia’s industrial sector has been grappling with layers of challenges including conflicts. In its December 2025 assessment, Africa Risk Control (ARC) has warned that conflict-related pressures continue to shape Ethiopia’s operating environment heading into 2026, despite signs of gradual improvement in national stability indicators.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56750
#Ethiopia’s fuel shortage crisis
This video, recorded last week by Addis Standard along the expressway between Mojo and Bishoftu, captures the scale of Ethiopia’s deepening fuel crisis in stark terms.
For drivers, the queues mean lost days and rising costs. For the broader economy, they point to a growing bottleneck that threatens supply chains, trade flows, and the movement of essential goods.
Read our “In-depth analysis: The Hormuz Entanglement: Why Ethiopia’s fuel crisis is a perfect storm of war, graft, and reform” published as early as 27 March here: https://addisstandard.com/the-hormuz-entanglement-why-ethiopias-fuel-crisis-is-a-perfect-storm-of-war-graft-and-reform/
One month into our reporting, the scene between Mojo and Bishoftu is no longer an isolated snapshot; in the capital Addis Abeba and across the country, similar scene is fast becoming a defining image of an acute fuel shortage gripping the country.
#Ethiopia: Repackaged into water bottles
Police in Takusa Woreda, Central Gonder Zone in Amhara region, announced the seizure of “1,232 liters” of gasoline that was being transported illegally.
Assistant Inspector Getaneh Teka, head of the Woreda Police Office, said the fuel was taken into custody following a tip-off from local residents about its illegal movement.
The images released accompanying the announcement show hundreds of small plastic bottles appeared to have been repackaged gasoline into used water bottles, an indication of how gasoline is often broken down into small, portable units for sale in informal rural markets in rural Ethiopia.
The pattern reflects a wider practice across several parts of Ethiopia, where fuel shortages and limited formal distribution channels are contributing to the growth of an underground trade. In these settings, fuel is frequently transported and sold without standardized containers, safety measures, or regulatory oversight, posing both safety and economic risks.
#Ethiopia: Ahmed is throttling free expression in #Ethiopia: The Economist
“Bold are the pens that remain unshaken.”
In today’s Ethiopia “journalists often disappear mysteriously nowadays, taken by unidentified men to undisclosed places on suspicion of unspecified crimes.”
The latest victim is Million Beyene, managing editor of the Addis Standard, a prominent newspaper and one of the few local outlets still brave enough to criticize the government. On April 15th masked men in civilian clothes abducted Mr Million from the newspaper’s office in Addis Ababa, the capital, saying he was “needed for questioning”. No one has heard from him since.
The police deny that Mr Million is in their custody. But in February the government had revoked the Standard’s license, accusing it of violating unspecified laws and endangering “the national interest”. Last year security forces raided the paper’s office and detained its journalists. Many have resigned for fear of government reprisals.
Scores of Ethiopian journalists have been arrested, beaten or forced into exile. Many foreign reporters have been expelled. In 2024 one was arrested while meeting an opposition politician and then deported. The politician was assassinated a few weeks later.
The government promises more persecution. In February an official at the media regulator claimed that the Standard and others were waging a “co-ordinated information war” against Ethiopia. Fighting them was a matter of “national survival”. Ethiopia’s “sword remains unsheathed”, he added.
Bold are the pens that remain unshaken. https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0XEUAL17WeumygXCeoqw4eRFZpALqdCfsBinQVHeVRL4XVDxWki22gEk5EdTgn9ztl
#Ethiopia: Ministry announces start of electric heavy-duty truck imports
Ethiopia Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced that Ethiopia’s transition toward electric mobility has expanded to include heavy-duty trucks, beginning with electric powered heavy-duty trucks entering the country.
According to information released by the Ministry on Sunday, 19 April, electric heavy-duty trucks are now arriving in Ethiopia, “marking a new phase” in the country’s broader electric vehicle transition.
The Ministry said the latest development builds on earlier policy measures that prioritized the import of electric passenger vehicles. Following a recent policy adjustment, the Ministry confirmed that “electric heavy-duty trucks and industrial equipment are now part of the plan,” signaling an expansion of the government’s electrification strategy to the logistics & construction sectors.
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0CU5WgoayVGWngn7UcV1KkDWbJq8aCUo7MY5xBd6TP5nEWQ4QMx7cGGTjqg3q5HtSl
#Ethiopia Defense Forces say building of ‘strong naval force’ to protect ‘national interests’ well underway
Addis Abeba -The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) has said that a “strong naval force” capable of protecting the country’s national interests is currently well underway.
According to information released by the ENDF on 18 April, an extensive briefing was delivered to officer candidates of the 27th round of the “Tsinat” (Endurance) course at the Hurso Officer Candidate Training School. The session covered the foundation of the Ethiopian Navy, its current status, and international maritime laws.
Captain Kebede Michael, Commander of the Ethiopian Naval Academy, who delivered the briefing, said the institution is working to build a “strong naval force that protects the country's national interests.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/1EczoM585i/?mibextid=wwXIfr
#Ethiopia bondholders start process to sue government over defaulted debt
A group of Ethiopia’s bondholders formally began a process to sue the government over a defaulted $1 billion debt, according to people familiar with the matter.
Members of the Ethiopia Ad Hoc Bondholder Committee last week sent a pre-action letter to the government notifying them of their intent to file a claim in the English courts, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they’re not authorized to publicly announce the move.
The authorities have 14 days to acknowledge the letter, the people said, without specifying the timeline.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-17/ethiopia-bondholders-said-to-start-process-to-sue-over-debt
Whose progress?
A new documentary reveals how #Ethiopia’s manufacturing push redistributes land, labor, and opportunity—delivering gains for some while displacing others.
Industrial parks have become spaces where the interests of investors, workers, local communities, and the state often collide. These tensions are not limited to HSEZ, and I recently saw them brought vividly to life in the documentary film Made in Ethiopia, which focuses on the Eastern Industrial Zone (EIZ).
Directed by Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan, the 2024 award-winning film explores the tension between rapid industrial growth, local traditions, and personal lives. The EIZ, launched in 2009 about 35 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, has created more than 20,000 jobs. For some, this means new income and opportunity. For others, it has meant land loss and deep disruption to their way of life.
Read the full article: https://africasacountry.com/2026/04/whose-progress
News: #Ethiopia grants income tax relief to Free Trade Zone investors
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance has announced income tax exemptions for investors operating in Free Trade Zones who supply inputs and products to the domestic market, in a move aimed at accelerating industrial growth and easing supply constraints.
In a statement, the Ministry said the measure is part of broader efforts to address persistent bottlenecks hampering industrial development, including capital shortages, disruptions in input supply, and limited availability of skilled labor.
The government has increasingly turned to Free Trade Zones as a policy tool to mitigate these challenges.
Under the system, importers are allowed to bring in inputs and goods without upfront payment of duties and taxes, settling these obligations only after securing a market for their products.
Officials say the approach is .......
https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0TX6pnHTdzmUnaJuzKVvDzkutUP4RL2V5TYzHeaL8NCmGJgXb13mVYtkrvGw46iYcl
News: Three ships carrying 120,000 mt diesel, 60,000 mt jet fuel for #Ethiopia delivery stranded in the Arabian Gulf
The disruption halted 60% of Ethiopia’s diesel imports and 100% of its jet fuel supply, forcing the government to turn to the costly spot market, the ministry said.
“60% of white diesel and 100% of jet fuel are purchased from the Government of Kuwait, while the remaining 40% of white diesel and 100% of benzene and black oils (fuel oils) are supplied through a tender process.”
Due to the closure of the Kuwaiti supply caused by the war, the premium obtained in the emergency purchase tender reached $86.33 per barrel for jet fuel and $92.88 for diesel, causing prices to skyrocket.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56308
News: #Ethiopia’s fuel crisis deepens as ‘180,000 metric tons fail to arrive’, daily white diesel supply cut by half
The minister also cited sharp increases in global fuel prices stating that a barrel of “white diesel”, which previously cost about 80 dollars, has surged to “230 dollars”, while gasoline prices rose from 70 dollars to “150 dollars per barrel”.
However, it remains unclear which market or benchmark the minister was referring to, or whether the figures were inaccurately attributed by state media, as global oil pricing is typically based on crude benchmarks rather than “white diesel” barrel pricing.
Ethiopia’s worsening fuel shortage is more than a consequence of regional instability. While the immediate trigger appears to be the military escalation between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, an in-depth analysis by Addis Standard last week reveals that the crisis is rooted in a far more complex set of factors including war, systemic coruuption and reform.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56212
#Ethiopia: Authorities claim seizure of over 448,000 liters of “illicit fuel”; 613 detained
Addis Abeba — Authorities say more than 448,000 liters of illicit fuel have been “confiscated” in a sweeping nationwide crackdown targeting “illegal fuel distribution networks.”
Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Kassahun Gofe, disclosed in a statement shared on social media that 250,221 liters of gasoline and 198,432 liters of diesel were seized as part of the ongoing enforcement campaign.
The operation, “carried out across six regional states and two city administrations”, involved coordinated monitoring and inspection efforts over recent days. According to the Minister, the campaign has generated over 48.6 million birr, which has already been deposited into the government treasury.
Authorities also said 613 individuals suspected of involvement in fuel market “sabotage” have been detained. Those taken into custody include officials from trade…
https://www.facebook.com/share/1FXt9gtJoE/?mibextid=wwXIfr