
A lawsuit filed by Human Rights First Ethiopia in November 2025, seeking legal remedy for millions of internally displaced persons IDPs, has been adjourned over ten times without meaningful proceedings. The case, before the Federal High Court鈥檚 Fundamental Human Rights Protection Bench, names the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Peace, the Tigray Interim Administration, and the Amhara and Oromia regional governments as defendants. It aims to compel authorities to ensure the safe return, security, and sustainable reintegration of displaced populations. Delays have included postponements due to a shortage of judges in January 2026, despite new judicial appointments. The petition details displacement stemming from the Tigray war in December 2020, with over one million Tigrayan IDPs unable to return home. Additionally, nearly 520,000 individuals from Oromia are displaced in Debre Birhan and North Wollo Zone, Amhara region, and 84,000 IDPs remain within Oromia. Human Rights First Ethiopia argues that the prolonged displacement violates constitutional and international obligations due to a lack of durable solutions and coordinated government action, highlighting a broader institutional challenge.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.

The National Bank of Ethiopia NBE has reconfirmed its prohibition on the use, trading, and transfer of virtual assets, including cryptocurrencies, unless explicitly authorized by the NBE. The central bank issued a public notice defining virtual assets as digital representations of value that can be electronically traded, transferred, exchanged, or used for payments, investment, or similar purposes. The ban covers the purchase, sale, exchange, transfer, trading, settlement, and facilitation of transactions involving these assets without specific approval under Ethiopia's legal framework. The NBE clarified that the prohibition extends beyond just cryptocurrencies to all virtual assets. Prohibited activities include exchanging virtual assets for fiat currencies or other virtual assets, transferring them, providing custody or administrative services, and offering financial services related to their issuance or sale. The NBE warned the public against engaging in such transactions due to legal and financial risks, including fraud, scams, cyberattacks, market manipulation, and significant financial losses. This statement reiterates existing legal restrictions and does not announce new regulations or enforcement measures.
Must ReadMadagascar's capital, Antananarivo, has been gripped by a crime wave involving missing children and discovered bodies, leading to public anger. The National Police Directorate-General reported 172 disappearances since January 1, 2026, with 164 still missing and eight children found dead, 119 of these cases in the Analamanga region. This crisis has led to vigilante justice, including the lynching of a woman suspected of attempted abduction. Colonel Randrianirina, leader of the junta, has labeled the murders "terrorism" and alleged a political conspiracy without presenting evidence. His Prime Minister declared a "war" against those seeking to "undermine the Refoundation." The regime deployed 400 security personnel and blocked websites, but the conspiracy narrative lacks verifiable evidence. Civil society, trade unions, and the Catholic Church have criticized the government's response. Legal scholar Omar Abderman Ramadany warned against speculation, while the Union of Lecturers and Researchers urged authorities to take concrete action beyond declarations. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Madagascar, through Vice-President Bishop Jean Pascal Andriantsoavina, stated they could no longer remain silent about homicides with unknown perpetrators, directly contradicting the government's claims of political conspirators. This religious opposition is part of a broader trend of disillusionment with the junta, which has seen arrests of political dissidents and a focus on consolidating p
Must ReadArtificial intelligence could boost Sub-Saharan Africa's economic output by approximately four percent over the next decade, provided governments invest significantly in electricity, internet connectivity, and digital skills, according to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund. Without these reforms, the region would see only marginal gains, with productivity increasing by as little as 0.2 percent. The IMF notes that Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the least prepared regions for widespread AI adoption, trailing every part of the world except South Asia in AI readiness. This gap is attributed to weak digital infrastructure, shortages of technical skills, and limited regulatory capacity. Reliable electricity, with about half the region lacking dependable access, and internet access, with only 38 percent of Africans using the internet in 2024, are major obstacles. The region also has limited computing infrastructure, hosting only about 160 data centers globally. Kenya and Rwanda lead East Africa in AI readiness due to strong private technology sectors and coordinated government policies, respectively. Ethiopia, however, ranks lower, despite expanding its telecommunications network. The IMF emphasizes that strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding reliable electricity access, and investing in technical education are crucial for the region to benefit economically from AI.