by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (June 20, 2018) An armed opposition group said it would give up arms if Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed fulfill promises of change, scrap laws that restrict political opponents and do away with obstacles to a democratic transition. In response to a speech by the Premier on Monday that called on opposition groups abroad to give ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (June 20, 2018) In response to an olive branch extended from Ethiopia, Eritrea says it would send a delegation to Ethiopia to “to chart out a plan for continuous future action.” “Outside myopic considerations of public relations stunts and advantages, we will send a delegation to Addis Abeba to gauge current developments directly and in ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (June 18, 2018) Ethiopia’s Prime Minister has made calls to opposition groups abroad to give up their arms and come back home to peacefully take part in the country’s politics. Presenting his report to the Parliament, Abiy Ahmed said the country can only benefit from peace but not war; and called on Patriotic Ginbot 7 ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (June 14, 2018) A high profile Ethiopian political prisoner recently released after four years in jail said the country’s Prime Minister told him that he had threatened to resign from his post if the ruling party would not release him. The death row prisoner, Andargachew (Andy) Tsege, told the BBC’s Hardtalk Zeinab Badawi that he ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (June 2, 2018) The cabinet of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, also known as the Council of Ministers, has announced today that a state of emergency imposed in February would be lifted. The news comes in the form of a tweet by Fitsum Arega, the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister, who wrote that the Council, ...

ESAT News (May 31, 2018) A request by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to address Ethiopians in North America at their annual sports festival has been declined by the organizing body. The request made by the Prime Minister to the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) through the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, DC has been a hot topic of debate ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (May 30, 2018) Andargachew Tsege, a political prisoner who was on death row and released yesterday after four years of imprisonment, said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spoke to him on a number of issues. He however told ESAT on a phone interview that he would not give details of the discussions with the PM. “I ...

By Engidu Woldie ESAT News (May 21, 2018) A leader of an opposition political party says what Ethiopia needs is a truly democratic transition, but not superficial reform if the intention is to move the country forward. Speaking to a gathering of his supporters in Washington, DC, Chairman of Patriotic Ginbot 7, an opposition group based in the Diaspora, Professor ...

ESAT News (May 15, 2018) Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, said government officials who have offshore bank accounts are under investigation. The news by the Ethiopian News Agency did not say if the Premier had mentioned the countries where the monies were allegedly stashed, but quoted Dr. Ahmed as saying that countries are cooperating in the investigations. According to the ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (April 20, 2018) Facing stern criticism in Gondar over land Ethiopia agreed to hand over to Sudan, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, said he would raise the issue with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir when he meets him in Bahir Dar tomorrow. Residents of Gondar grilled the Premier over land the government has agreed to hand ...