NEWS IN A Week in the Horn 14.08.2026
Ethiopia
The Office of the Prime Minister hosted an experience-sharing program on the 5 Million Ethiopian Coders Initiative on Monday (August 10), bringing together graduates, industry leaders, policymakers, and young professionals. The event followed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s call to Ethiopian youth to make productive use of the summer break. (See article)
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated the new terminal at Bahir Dar’s Dejazmach Belay Zeleke International Airport on Thursday (August 6). He was joined by First Lady Zinash Tayachew, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh, and Speaker of the House of Federation Agegnehu Teshager. (See article)
State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hadera Abera and Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye joined the official launch of the 2018 E.C. Summer Volunteer Service and Green Legacy Initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its affiliated institutions in Afar on Wednesday (August 12). Together with communities in Afar, the initiative is undertaking the construction of 10 homes for vulnerable families and one kindergarten, providing educational materials, and planting trees under the theme “Let Us Plant Hope.”
On the same day, Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye signed an agreement with the Afar National Regional Government to ensure the timely and quality completion of the 10 homes and kindergarten being constructed by the Ministry and its affiliated institutions.
Mahuna Akplogan, Minister of Digital Transformation and Innovation of the Republic of Benin, led a high-level delegation to Ethiopia from August 4 to 8. The visit gave the delegation a chance to learn from Ethiopia’s experience in digital transformation and to explore areas where the two countries could work more closely, particularly in digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, digital identification, cybersecurity, and drone technology. (See article)
Africa and the African union
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Tuesday (August 11) hosted the quarterly working luncheon with UNSC Permanent Members (P5) and African Members of the Council(A3) accredited to the AU. Discussions covered key peace, security and humanitarian issues, including AUSSOM in Somalia, the situation in Sudan, developments in the Sahel, Great Lakes, Ebola and UN Security Council reform. Ambassadors welcomed the consultations as a valuable platform for strategic coordination between the AU and UNSC on international peace and security.