National Election Board of Ethiopia to conduct security assessment ahead of national vote
via The Reporter Ethiopia7 min read
The National Election Board of Ethiopia NEBE is preparing to deploy a taskforce to conduct security assessments across the country, less than two months before the seventh national elections scheduled for June 1, 2026. This initiative comes amid concerns from opposition parties, security challenges, logistical hurdles, and budgetary issues. Melatwork Hailu, NEBE chair, stated that the taskforce will include representatives from political parties, civil society organizations, and election observers. Their role is to assess conditions and provide recommendations for a safer electoral environment in high-risk regions. This move follows disagreements between opposition parties and the NEBE over previous security assessments, where opposition figures claimed they could not field candidates or campaign in many constituencies the Board had deemed safe. Over 50 million citizens have registered to vote, with 195,000 electoral administrators deployed to nearly 49,000 polling stations across 614 constituencies. The government allocated 10 billion Birr for the election, but officials have requested additional funding. Political parties received 81 million Birr, and 37 media organizations and 169 civil society organizations have been accredited for coverage and observation, respectively. International observation missions from the African Union and IGAD are also expected. Electoral activities have faced disruptions in parts of Oromia, Amhara, Harar, and Sidama regions, leading to the clos
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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 postponed its latest foreign-exchange auction, citing unforeseen technical issues. The NBE had previously announced on May 27 that it would conduct two foreign-exchange auctions of USD 100 million each during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. This amount represents a significant reduction from the previous auction, which offered USD 500 million. The next auction, valued at USD 100 million, was scheduled for June 24, 2026. Demand for foreign currency remains high, with commercial banks submitting bids totaling approximately USD 1 billion in the previous auction, double the amount offered by the central bank, as the Birr continues to weaken against the US Dollar. In that auction, the weighted average exchange rate for successful bids was 159.98 Birr per dollar, with the highest successful bid at 160.90 Birr per dollar and the lowest at 157.30 Birr. Fourteen of the 30 participating commercial banks secured foreign-currency allocations.
Must ReadThe Ethiopian Capital Market Authority ECMA has granted an investment banking license to United Capital Financial Services PLC, a subsidiary of Nigeria-based United Capital Group. This marks the first time a foreign investment bank has established a subsidiary in Ethiopia, signaling increased foreign interest in the country's developing capital market. The license was issued on June 5 and announced on June 9, authorizing the company to provide services under Ethiopia’s investment banking framework. ECMA also approved five board directors and licensed four appointed representatives for the company. This development brings the total number of licensed Capital Market Service Providers in Ethiopia to 18 and raises the number of licensed investment banks to seven. ECMA Director-General Hana Tehelku described United Capital's entry as a significant milestone, reflecting growing confidence in Ethiopia’s financial sector reforms and regulatory framework. She added that it demonstrates recognition of Ethiopia’s market potential and could help deepen market capacity, improve regional integration, and strengthen investor participation. This licensing aligns with Ethiopia's ongoing efforts to operationalize its capital market and attract private investment.
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