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Int'l Business Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Tanzania Opposition Leader Defiant As He Appears For Treason Trial
Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu appeared in court on Monday for his latest hearing in a treason trial in which he faces a potential death penalty. Activists say the case against him is the latest sign that democracy is under threat in several East African nations. An opposition leader is also on trial for treason in neighbouring Uganda and opposition movements facing pressure in several other countries. In Tanzania, a defiant Lissu was greeted by supporters when he entered the courtroom on Monday. Lissu's Chadema party has been disqualified from presidential and legislative elections due in October after demanding electoral reforms. He had insisted on attending in person after being forced to appear by video link for earlier hearings. "We will be fine... Don't worry at all," he told supporters. A group of Kenyan rights defenders, including a former chief justice, were detained at the airport in Dar es Salaam when they attempted to come and observe the trial. That followed the similar detention and deportation of Kenyan presidential candidate Martha Karua, a former justice minister, at the same airport on Sunday. Karua said it showed Tanzania's ruling party was "determined to violate the law and are not keen on according Tundu Lissu a fair trial". Opposition movements face pressure across the region. Karua also serves as lawyer for Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who was kidnapped in Kenya last year and taken back to his home country for trial. Uganda is due to hold elections in January. There is also concern about the political situation in Kenya, long considered a bastion of stability in the region. President William Ruto's popularity has been undermined by tax rises and corruption that sparked mass protests last year and were followed by a spate of abductions and political violence targeting his critics. When Ruto's former deputy launched a new political party in Nairobi last week, unidentified attackers stormed the meeting. Kenya is in "total disarray", Karua told AFP in an interview earlier this month. "It's as if our constitution has been suspended. We have abductions, arbitrary arrests... extrajudicial killings... And the police and authorities fail to take responsibility," she said. Karua said Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were "collaborating" in their "total erosion of democratic principles". "All these countries now have become dangerous, not just to others but to their own nationals. I tie this to the forthcoming elections," she said. Meanwhile, Ethiopia's leading opposition party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, was banned from any political activity last week, ahead of elections due by June 2026 at the latest. South Sudan has repeatedly delayed holding its first elections and President Salva Kiir has placed his long-time rival, First Vice-President Riek Machar, under house arrest. Rwandan President Paul Kagame last year won re-election with more than 99 percent of the vote, amid long-running accusations of repression targeting the opposition.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
TPLF says Ethiopia ban threatens Tigray peace deal
Ethiopia's main opposition party has called for the African Union to mediate with the federal government after the electoral board revoked its legal status as a Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) said the move to ban it from any political activity was "dangerous" and posed a "serious threat" to the 2022 deal that ended two years of conflict in the northern Tigray party, which Tigray and dominated the entire country for many years, was on Wednesday banned for failing to hold a general decision follows months of political tensions in Tigray and comes ahead of nationwide elections that are due to take place by June next year at the latest. The party led a coalition that staged a 1991 coup and ruled Ethiopia until 2018 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took power. It fought a brutal two-year civil war against the federal government that ended with a truce signed in November 2022 after tens of thousands of people were killed and millions forced from their homes in northern Ethiopia.'No-one can handle another war' - Tigrayans fear fresh Ethiopian conflictThe party runs Tigray's interim administration which was established in 2023 as part of the peace deal, known as the Pretoria peace agreement. But the party has been unable to conduct internal elections because of a split, with two factions laying claim to control of the National Election Board of Ethiopia, which supervises the conduct of political parties, on Wednesday "resolved to formally deregister" the TPLF on the grounds that it had failed to hold a general the party has protested against the move and called on the African Union to put "pressure" on the federal government to suspend the enforcement of the a letter to the AU, the party said the ban "denies the TPLF a right it had reclaimed through the Pretoria Agreement and poses a serious threat to the foundation of the peace process".It added that the peace deal stipulated that both parties recognise each other's legitimacy and any political issue should be resolved through deputy chairman Ammanuel Assefa told the BBC that the decision by the electoral board could "damage the Pretoria agreement" which "is going to be dangerous". "This isn't just about TPLF, but also about undermining what people have sacrificed," Ammanuel added. Delays in implementing the terms of the agreement, including the return of some one million people displaced by the war, have fuelled fears of fresh violence in Tigray. Several countries including the US, UK and the European Union have warned about the escalating tension, saying there must be "no return to violence". More on Ethiopia's civil war: 'I lost my leg on the way home from school'How war has hurt Ethiopia's Olympic hopesHow a massacre in the sacred city of Aksum unfoldedWhy Ethiopia is so alarmed by an Egypt-Somalia alliance Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran and Ethiopia have a security deal – here's why they signed it
Ethiopia and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 6 May 2025. Under it, their national police agencies will cooperate on security and intelligence. This will include combating cross-border crime, sharing intelligence and building capacity. They will also share experiences and training. For Iran, the MOU marks a significant step towards strengthening relations with a regional power that's strategically located in the Horn of Africa. Tehran has been using its security apparatus and military capabilities to establish and expand political and economic ties with countries in Africa. This has included drone transfers to the Ethiopian government that helped it turned the tide of the Tigray war, a separatist struggle in the country's north that took place from 2020 to 2022. Iran has also supplied the Sudanese army with surveillance and combat drones. These have been used against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's ongoing civil war. The agreement is important for Ethiopia for two reasons. Firstly, it's likely to enable the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively. It faces increasing internal instability, including tensions with hostile factions of the separatist Tigray People's Liberation Front. Secondly, the agreement comes after a meeting in Addis Ababa between the Ethiopian police chief, Demelash Gebremichael, and a delegation from Iran's regional rival, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exchange concentrated on investigating and extraditing cross-border criminals. Addis Ababa's willingness to work with regional rivals in the Middle East shows its pragmatic approach to foreign relations. Ethiopia needs all the friends it can muster as an embattled and weakened state. Since the Tigray war, it has battled the rise of ethnic militias and confronted economic adversity. It is also facing renewed hostility with neighbouring Eritrea. Since 2016, Ethiopia has been a gateway for Iran to gain a foothold in the Horn of Africa. That year, other countries in the region severed relations with Iran. This followed Tehran's disengagement from sub-Saharan Africa under Hassan Rouhani, who served as president from 2013 to 2021, and his prioritisation of a nuclear deal with the US. The severing of ties was also a byproduct of geopolitical pressure exerted by Saudi Arabia and the UAE on countries in the region. The Middle Eastern states wanted to reduce, if not eliminate, Iran's presence in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea to limit its support for Houthi rebels in the ongoing Yemeni civil war. Read more: Ethiopia was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to establish relations with Iran during the 1960s. It was also one of its top trading partners on the continent before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Strategically and ideologically, this special relationship was based on the pro-western and anti-communist stances of their monarchs: the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled from 1941 to 1979, and Emperor Haile Selassie, who was in power from 1930 to 1974. After the revolution, Iran-Ethiopia relations revived under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as Iranian president from 2005 to 2013. He pursued an active Africa policy to mitigate Iran's international isolation and circumvent US sanctions. After Rouhani initially downgraded these relations, they were renewed during his second term. This followed US withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Relations firmed when Ebrahim Raisi, who served as Iranian president from 2021 to 2024, delivered military drones and other aid to Addis Ababa during the Tigray war. Ethiopia is facing increasing instability and uncertainty. The Tigray war has depleted the state's resources. There is an economic crisis caused by rising inflation and unemployment. Addis Ababa continues to confront ethnic tensions. Hostile factions of the Tigray People's Liberation Front remain. It also faces tensions with the Amhara Fano militia, which initially fought alongside the government against Tigrayan forces. Forced disarmament policies and ongoing land disputes caused the militia to take up arms against the government. Read more: Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed also faces growing opposition and resistance from his own ethnic group, the majority Oromo, and their Oromo Liberation Army. The reason for their discontent is Abiy's imposition of centralised rule on their regional state within a federal system. The security and intelligence cooperation with Iran could allow Addis Ababa to combat ethnic militias more effectively. It would also enable Ethiopia to prepare for another possible war against neighbouring Eritrea. Ethiopia and Eritrea normalised relations and fought together against Tigrayan forces. However, tensions between the two countries have been brewing again. These have been triggered by two factors. First, the conditions of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement caused Eritrea to maintain forces inside Ethiopia. Second are the ambitions of Addis Ababa to acquire a Red Sea port in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. Eritrea has supported Somalia's opposition to the deal. This isn't the first time that Ethiopia has tried working with two regional rivals – Iran and the UAE. The UAE is also among its top trading partners, along with Saudi Arabia. In 2016, Ethiopia was the only country in the Horn of Africa that didn't cut ties with Iran, though it was under pressure from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to do so. The decision was taken by Abiy's predecessor, Hailemariam Desalegn, whose term ran from 2012 to 2018. During the Tigray war, Ethiopia received military drones and other assistance from Iran and the UAE, alongside Turkey. The civil war in Sudan has presented an even more complicated story. Ethiopia has vacillated between engaging with the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces at different points in the conflict. For its part, Iran has supported the Sudanese army. The UAE has backed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Ethiopia's efforts to strengthen its security ties with Iran and the UAE show a unique case of convergence between regional rivals that have otherwise remained on opposite sides of conflicts in countries like Yemen and Sudan. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Eric Lob, Florida International University Read more: In talking with Tehran, Trump is reversing course on Iran – could a new nuclear deal be next? What is federalism? Why Ethiopia uses this system of government and why it's not perfect In Yemen, Trump risks falling into an 'airpower trap' that has drawn past US presidents into costly wars Eric Lob does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Ethiopia names Tigray ex-leader as govt minister sparking concerns - Africa
Ethiopia on Friday appointed a former rebel and recently ousted Tigrayan leader as a government minister, a move analysts fear could exacerbate divisions in the increasingly restive northern region. Tigray still suffers from the aftermath of a brutal two-year conflict, ended by a 2022 peace deal that established the interim administration. The war was one of the deadliest in recent decades, claiming roughly 600,000 lives and pitting Tigrayan rebels against federal forces, supported by local militias and the Eritrean army. Getachew Reda was ousted as leader of the interim administration, replaced earlier this month by the head of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Debretsion Gebremichael, after an internal power struggle. On Friday, Getachew was appointed by Addis Ababa as an "advisor on East African affairs to the Prime Minister with the rank of minister," according to an X post. The 50-year-old previously served as minister of communications until Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018. Getachew's appointment is the "ultimate betrayal and risks increasing polarisation" across the region for both elites and general population, said Mehdi Labzae, an Ethiopia specialist at France's National Centre for Scientific Research. "Getachew Reda has maintained great popularity, he carries weight, we'll see what happens now," he told AFP. Horn of Africa specialist Kjetil Tronvoll agreed, saying the appointment will "accentuate divisions" in a region still devastated by the bloodletting. "Getachew Reda will be accused of showing his true colours by collaborating with the enemy," he told AFP. While peace has mostly returned to the region, a failure to fully implement the terms of the 2022 Pretoria peace deal has fuelled divisions within the Tigrayan political elite. And the TPLF divisions have rekindled fears of a new conflict, with armed men loyal to Debretsion seizing several towns last month and overthrowing mayors appointed by the interim administration. Relations are also strained between Ethiopia and its neighbour Eritrea, which is accused of supporting Debretsion's faction. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Reuters
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Ethiopia's PM Abiy appoints new leader of Tigray administration
ADDIS ABABA, April 8 (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday appointed Tadesse Worede to lead the interim administration in the northern Tigray region, where divisions in the ruling party have sparked fears of a renewed war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Tadesse, the administration's deputy president for the last two years, was a top commander in the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) during the 2020-2022 war with Ethiopia's federal government, which killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions from their homes. Eritrean forces fought in support of Ethiopia's federal army during that conflict, but relations between the longtime rivals have since soured over an agreement ending the conflict signed in November 2022. Analysts say Ethiopia's neighbour Eritrea was unhappy at being excluded from the deal, which allowed the TPLF, with which it remains deeply hostile, to govern Tigray. Last year the TPLF split into two factions, with a dissident group led by Debretsion Gebremichael accusing Tigray's interim administration - led initially by TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda, whose two-year term has now expired - of selling out Tigrayan interests. Debretsion's faction, which seized the town of Adigrat last month, has denied administration accusations of allying with Eritrea, heightening the risk of a regional war. Last month Eritrea ordered a nationwide military mobilisation, according to a human rights group. Ethiopia deployed troops toward their shared border, although Abiy has sought to downplay the prospect of conflict. Tadesse, who analysts say has stayed largely neutral over the TPLF split, has agreed to eight commitments including the return of people displaced by the war and demobilisation of combatants, according to a letter shared by Abiy's spokesperson Billene Seyoum. "(Tadesse) has a clear understanding of both the strengths and shortcomings of the previous administration, and many believe he is well-positioned to guide Tigray through this critical transition," Abiy wrote on X. "It is my hope that (Tadesse) will seize this historic opportunity to help the people of Tigray realize their aspirations for peace and development," he added.
