Horn of Africa

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a statement on Monday warning against cryptocurrency trading in the country. The NBE said digital currencies like crypto-currencies and bitcoins haven’t been recognized by the NBE as a transactional and payment method, state affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported. “Ethiopia’s national currency is …

The United States appointed former US ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mike Hammer, as its new envoy to the Horn of Africa to try to help with the peace process in Ethiopia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Mr Hammer’s appointment underscored American commitment to peace, security …

Sudan’s military leaders have lifted a state of emergency imposed since seizing power in a coup six months ago. The country’s ruling security and defence council said the decision was made at a meeting headed by the military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. It said the move was aimed at …

Two more journalists have been detained in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, increasing the number of reporters and media workers jailed since last week to 13, the BBC reported. The move has been seen by some as a crackdown on critical voices. The arrests have coincided with the launching of …

US authorities have issued a notice, warning US companies and individuals to do business with Sudanese state-owned and military-controlled companies. According to the State Department, there was a reputational risk of doing business with these companies amid a deterioration in the human rights situation in Sudan. It said while some …

Authorities in Sudan have ordered a morgue in the capital, Khartoum, to shut down because bodies there are starting to decompose in the heat because of frequent power cuts. The facility is said to hold nearly 1,000 unidentified corpses. A health ministry official, Hisham Zain al-Abidin, said the morgue was …

World leaders sent congratulatory messages to Somalia’s new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for his win in Sunday’s election. Mr Mohamud, who served as Somalia’s president between 2012 and 2017, won after a third round of voting by Somalia’s 328 MPs. He was sworn in soon after. The outgoing president, Mohamed …

Lawmakers in Somalia elected former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new head of state in presidential elections on Sunday. Mr Mohamud defeated current president, Mohamed Abudallahi Farmajo, in office since 2017. The ballot was limited to Somalia’s 328 MPs due to security concerns over holding a wider election, and …

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) imposed a curfew on the Afisyoni air force hangar in the capital, Mogadishu, and the surrounding areas ahead of the presidential election due to take place on Sunday, the BBC reported. The curfew runs from Tuesday to Monday next week. More than …

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has announced his candidacy for a second term in presidential elections scheduled for May 15. On Twitter, President Farmajo said he was seeking a second term in “response to the call of the Somali people” and to continue “on the path of progress and development”. …