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May 3 , 2026 . By KETURAH CAMPBELL

Konjit Sinegiorgis, Diplomat Who Carried Ethiopia Through Africa's Institutional Rebirth, Dies at 86

In the early 1960s, a young woman returned from her studies abroad to seek a position at the Ministry of Education. She was told by a senior official that statecraft was not a job for women. Konjit Sinegiorgis, who would go on to serve Ethiopia's foreign service for over half a century, was hardl...

Feb 28 , 2026 . By KETURAH CAMPBELL

A Diaspora Entrepreneur Who Turned Nostalgia into a Media Business Dies at 54

Amman Fissehazion liked to say that television was “a bridge with pictures”. In 2008, he and his brothers, Mussie and Noah, joined by Nebiyu Yared, set out to build that bridge from a rented studio in Silver Spring, Maryland. They called the channel the Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS), put up their own savings, and filled the schedule with chat, music, and nostalgia, targeting Ethiopians scattered across the world as well as those at home. No institutional money backed them, only family resolve. Operating from suburban Washington D.C. had advantages. Studios, satellite uplinks a...

Jun 15 , 2025 . By KETURAH CAMPBELL

Leikun Berhanu, Rising from Clerk to Financial Patriarch, Dies at 80

Behind a gate painted grey and black, an unassuming villa sits hushed near the Saris neighbourhood in the southern outskirts of Addis Abeba. On its veranda, two empty chairs stare out at a yard once alive with the noise of children and the measured voice of Leikun Berhanu, the banker who guided the financial sector for half a century. Leikun's rise tracked the country's turbulent politics. In the early 1970s, as Emperor Haile Selassie's reign faltered, he was employed by Addis Abeba Bank, a private bank in the pre-Derg period. Born in Gimbi, Oromia Regional State, in 1945, he graduated in m...

May 31 , 2025 . By KETURAH CAMPBELL

Fikru Maru, Defying Power, Healing Broken Hearts, Dies at 74

When Fikru Maru (MD) returned to Addis Abeba in early May, he carried with him the resolve of a man who had spent decades building bridges between two worlds. Thin but upright, he greeted guests himself at the gate of the new eight-story hospital on Libya Street, a few blocks from Bisrate Gabriel Church. The project had been years in the making, evidence of his vision and persistence. On the eve of the opening, Fikru paused in the pediatric ward. He turned to the head nurse and said, “No child should ever be turned away for lack of money.” Then, reaching into his pocket, he pressed ...

obituary

Aug 17 , 2025

A Life Devoted to Voice, Mulugeta Gessese Dies at 66

When senior diplomat Meles Alem (PhD) thinks back to his first shifts behind a microphone at a radio, a memory springs up before the static settles. There was a firm and patient figure in Mulugeta Ges...

Apr 27 , 2025

Elizabeth Woldegiorgis, Who Brought Ethiopia's Forgotten Modernists Back to Light, Dies at 69

Elizabeth Woldegiorgis (PhD) began the morning of September 11, 2001, like any other. She drank warm coffee, took an ordinary phone call and lingered in the lobby of the Japanese investment bank where...

Mar 9 , 2025

Yayehyirad Alamrew, the Shadow Lyricist Who Shaped Sound, Identity, Dies at 66

Ethiopia's music scene usually shines a spotlight on singers and bands, but one figure quietly shaped its soul for decades. Since the early 1980s, Yayehyirad Alamrew's lyrics graced cherished Amharic...

Feb 9 , 2025

The Banker, The Apparatchik, The Maverick, Bulcha Demeksa Dies at 94

Bulcha Demeksa was a figure whose influence resonated across generations. Stepping into his home in the gated community of Ropak in the Legatafo area, it was clear that he, too, was shaped by the wisd...

Jan 25 , 2025

Shimelis Adugna, Unyielding Force in Ethiopia's Humanitarian Struggles, Dies at 89

Few understood the deep scars of famine as keenly as Shimelis Adugna, whose personal rituals hinted at the hardships he witnessed. Leftovers never seemed an option on his plate. Instead, he measured o...

Jan 12 , 2025

The Defiant Engineer Steering Ethiopian Airlines Through Turbulent Times, Mohammed Ahmed Dies Aged 94

Eid al-Fitr was his favourite holiday. Mohammed Ahmed delighted in distributing chocolates to children whenever the festive day arrived. For him, it was a small but meaningful gesture that bridged...

Nov 9 , 2024

A Fearless Provocateur Who Redefined Digital Discourse, Eyob Mihreteab Dies at 44

For many who know him online and offline, Eyob Mihreteab was an intellectual, if for others a provocateur. All would agree that he was a person whose ideas and words echoed with clarity and force. In...

Oct 20 , 2024

Sandy Wade: The Soldier-Diplomat Who Mastered Strategy, Humanity Dies at 66

Each holiday season, without fail, Robert Nicholas Harry Alexander de Vins Wade — known affectionately as Sandy — would send messages of goodwill to colleagues and friends. This simple gesture emb...

Sep 29 , 2024

Beyene Petros, Soft-Spoken Academic, Who Took on Power Structures with Unflinching Resolve, Dies at 74

Beyene Petros (Prof.) was a familiar figure in the quiet halls of Addis Abeba University, where sunlight filtered through arching eucalyptus trees. He mentored generations of students with a warm smil...

Sep 14 , 2024

Andreas Eshete, Towering Intellectual, Social Progress Champion, Dies at 79

Andreas Eshete (Prof.) was an early riser regardless of how late he stayed up. Punctuality was more than a habit for him; it reflected his disciplined character. In a society where time often took a b...

May 3 , 2024

Muluken Melesse: The Soulful Serenade Dies at 73

In the quiet of his later years, Muluken Melesse found solace in the gentle sounds of the waterfall from the stereo, transported by the melodies to a breezing stream beside him. Born in 1951 in Gojjam...

Mar 30 , 2024

Molla Zegeye, Personifying Perseverance in the Face of Adversity Dies at 71

To say Molla Zegeye witnessed history unfold would be an understatement. He actively tussled with it, leaving a lasting mark on Ethiopia's turbulent but recent political history of half a century. His...

Mar 16 , 2024

Gudisa Legesse, Whose Leadership Scores to the Rhythm of Life, Dies at 55

In the competitive insurance world, where risk management and forecasts define daily life's chorus, finding light-hearted moments could become indispensable. Gudisa Legesse, the CEO of Awash Insuranc...

Mar 2 , 2024

Getachew Kassa, the Maestro Who Sang Ethiopias Soul, Dies Aged 85

In the records of Ethiopian music, few stories are as pongiant or resonating as that of Getachew Kassa. His journey from the humming markets of Merkato to the animated nightlife of the Bole neighbourh...

Feb 10 , 2024

Compassionate Warrior During Ethiopia's Darkest Hours, Dies at 89

In the unforgiving terrains of Wollo and Afar regions, where famine has etched its scars deep into the land and its people, Hailemariam Seifu's calling was forged. It was here, amid the desperation...

Jun 17 , 2023

Zemui Teklu: The Indomitable Spirit Behind Shoa Bakery Dies Age 94

The pioneering spirit behind Shoa Bakery, a name that has become synonymous with bread across Addis Abeba and beyond, had a life marked by personal loss, adaptation, and entrepreneurial brilliance. It...

Columns

Commentaries | May 09,2026

Every Encounter with the State Should Not Become an Invoice

The Ethiopian state appears to have discovered a fiscal instrument that is politically con...

Editorial | May 9 , 2026

CAKE Takes the Place of Wine in Addis Abeba’s Social Visits

Weeks after the Easter holiday, Addis Abeba has slipped back into its ordinary pace. The h...

Featured | Apr 26 , 2026 . By MASTEWAL ZEMENE and BEZAWIT HULUAGER

Period Poverty Crisis Forces Women to Pay For Dignity

Luladay Abraham treats the arrival of her menstrual cycle less as a private inconvenience...

Agenda | May 9 , 2026 . By HELINA HADGU and MASTEWAL ZEMENE

FED'S COSTLY TURN FROM MONEY PRINTING PILES PRESSURE ON BUDGET

Finance Minister Ahmed Shide entered the last quarter of the fiscal year with a budget und...

Fortune News | May 9 , 2026 . By NAHOM AYELE

Konjit Sinegiorgis, Diplomat Who Carried Ethiopia Through Africa's Institutional Rebirth, Dies at 86

A Diaspora Entrepreneur Who Turned Nostalgia into a Media Business Dies at 54

Leikun Berhanu, Rising from Clerk to Financial Patriarch, Dies at 80

Fikru Maru, Defying Power, Healing Broken Hearts, Dies at 74

obituary

A Life Devoted to Voice, Mulugeta Gessese Dies at 66

Elizabeth Woldegiorgis, Who Brought Ethiopia's Forgotten Modernists Back to Light, Dies at 69

Yayehyirad Alamrew, the Shadow Lyricist Who Shaped Sound, Identity, Dies at 66

The Banker, The Apparatchik, The Maverick, Bulcha Demeksa Dies at 94

Shimelis Adugna, Unyielding Force in Ethiopia's Humanitarian Struggles, Dies at 89

The Defiant Engineer Steering Ethiopian Airlines Through Turbulent Times, Mohammed Ahmed Dies Aged 94

A Fearless Provocateur Who Redefined Digital Discourse, Eyob Mihreteab Dies at 44

Sandy Wade: The Soldier-Diplomat Who Mastered Strategy, Humanity Dies at 66

Beyene Petros, Soft-Spoken Academic, Who Took on Power Structures with Unflinching Resolve, Dies at 74

Andreas Eshete, Towering Intellectual, Social Progress Champion, Dies at 79

Muluken Melesse: The Soulful Serenade Dies at 73

Molla Zegeye, Personifying Perseverance in the Face of Adversity Dies at 71

Gudisa Legesse, Whose Leadership Scores to the Rhythm of Life, Dies at 55

Getachew Kassa, the Maestro Who Sang Ethiopias Soul, Dies Aged 85

Compassionate Warrior During Ethiopia's Darkest Hours, Dies at 89

Zemui Teklu: The Indomitable Spirit Behind Shoa Bakery Dies Age 94

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Columns

The Geopolitical Battle Over Monetary Infrastructure

Motivation Drops as the Day Begins in Sleepwear

The AI Risk to Focus On

The Silence That Leadership Can't Keep

Period Poverty Crisis Forces Women to Pay For Dignity

Every Encounter with the State Should Not Become an Invoice

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Every Encounter with the State Should Not Become an Invoice

CAKE Takes the Place of Wine in Addis Abeba’s Social Visits

Period Poverty Crisis Forces Women to Pay For Dignity

FED'S COSTLY TURN FROM MONEY PRINTING PILES PRESSURE ON BUDGET

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COVID UPDATE

Konjit Sinegiorgis, Diplomat Who Carried Ethiopia Through Africa's Institutional Rebirth, Dies at 86

A Diaspora Entrepreneur Who Turned Nostalgia into a Media Business Dies at 54

Leikun Berhanu, Rising from Clerk to Financial Patriarch, Dies at 80

Fikru Maru, Defying Power, Healing Broken Hearts, Dies at 74

A Life Devoted to Voice, Mulugeta Gessese Dies at 66

Elizabeth Woldegiorgis, Who Brought Ethiopia's Forgotten Modernists Back to Light, Dies at 69

Yayehyirad Alamrew, the Shadow Lyricist Who Shaped Sound, Identity, Dies at 66

The Banker, The Apparatchik, The Maverick, Bulcha Demeksa Dies at 94

Shimelis Adugna, Unyielding Force in Ethiopia's Humanitarian Struggles, Dies at 89

The Defiant Engineer Steering Ethiopian Airlines Through Turbulent Times, Mohammed Ahmed Dies Aged 94

A Fearless Provocateur Who Redefined Digital Discourse, Eyob Mihreteab Dies at 44

Sandy Wade: The Soldier-Diplomat Who Mastered Strategy, Humanity Dies at 66

Beyene Petros, Soft-Spoken Academic, Who Took on Power Structures with Unflinching Resolve, Dies at 74

Andreas Eshete, Towering Intellectual, Social Progress Champion, Dies at 79

Muluken Melesse: The Soulful Serenade Dies at 73

Molla Zegeye, Personifying Perseverance in the Face of Adversity Dies at 71

Gudisa Legesse, Whose Leadership Scores to the Rhythm of Life, Dies at 55

Getachew Kassa, the Maestro Who Sang Ethiopias Soul, Dies Aged 85

Compassionate Warrior During Ethiopia's Darkest Hours, Dies at 89

Zemui Teklu: The Indomitable Spirit Behind Shoa Bakery Dies Age 94

The Geopolitical Battle Over Monetary Infrastructure

Motivation Drops as the Day Begins in Sleepwear

The AI Risk to Focus On

The Silence That Leadership Can't Keep

Period Poverty Crisis Forces Women to Pay For Dignity

Every Encounter with the State Should Not Become an Invoice

Every Encounter with the State Should Not Become an Invoice

CAKE Takes the Place of Wine in Addis Abeba’s Social Visits

Period Poverty Crisis Forces Women to Pay For Dignity

FED'S COSTLY TURN FROM MONEY PRINTING PILES PRESSURE ON BUDGET

Drop us a message

COVID UPDATE

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