A Rare Moment

In the middle is Tekeda Alemu (PhD), a committed technocrat who recently retired after serving the foreign office during the successive regimes; to the left is Fesseha Desta (Col.), a founding member of the Dergue; Hassan Moalin from the ONLF; and, Abebe Teklehaimanot (Maj. Gen.), a.k.a Jabie, former TPLF fighter. To the far left is Hallelujah Lulie, an acting director of the Institute for Strategic Affairs, the organizer of the seminar.


A Rare Moment

A rare and one of a kind moment took place at the Sheraton Addis, where individuals with diverse and contested backgrounds gathered today, November 28, 2019. They claimed the front row at a seminar organized to revisit the legacy of Walelegn Mekonnen, one of the student movement leaders who authored a political essay that arguably defined the course of history in Ethiopia whereby Emperor Hailesellasie was deposed. His grandson, Be'edemariam Mekonnen (Prince) was seated between Lencho Letta, the founder of the OLF, and Gebru Tarekegn, a professor emeritus and former activist of the underground movement, the EPRP. In the middle is Tekeda Alemu (PhD), a committed technocrat who recently retired after serving the foreign office during the successive regimes; to the left is Fesseha Desta (Col.), a founding member of the Dergue; Hassan Moalin from the ONLF; and, Abebe Teklehaimanot (Maj. Gen.), aka Jabie, a former TPLF fighter. To the far left is Hallelujah Lulie, an acting director of the Institute for Strategic Affairs, the organizer of the seminar.

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In-Picture

DIGITAL DETOUR

A sign advertising the Telebirr mobile payment service hangs inside a taxi, promising passengers a seamless, cashless fare experience. QR codes, Merchant IDs, and Operator IDs offer multiple ways to pay if only the network held up. In a city racing toward "cashless" status, many can't help but chuckle at the idea of tapping phones in beat-up, overcrowded taxis where connectivity is as wobbly as the suspension. Modern finance meets old-school transport, with results that are, at best, aspirationa...


In-Picture

COMMUNITY LIFT

From left: Fekadu Beshah, Heineken Ethiopia Sustainability & CSR Manager; Shewit Kebede, Social Impact Ambassador; Tolawak Feyissa, Koye Feche District Mayor's Office; and William Mills, Heineken Ethiopia Corporate Affairs Director, cut the inaugural ribbon at the launch of new homes. Heineken Ethiopia built houses for over 45 households in Koye Feche Sub-district, Sheger City, Oromia, empowering communities through dairy, cattle, and poultry farming initiatives...


In-Picture

PIPE LIFE

A pipe around Filwuha offers a refuge. Among a towering stack of Reinforced Concrete Drainage Pipes, a small space has been claimed as a home. The makeshift shelter inside one of the pipes contains a simple bed of blankets on a wooden board and a pair of worn-out sneakers, providing a glimpse into a life of resilience and illustrating a powerful image of survival in a harsh setting. A few scattered belongings hint at the daily struggle to meet basic needs. The contrast between the cold concrete...