Unless Egypt addresses its water management crisis, instability may pay an unwelcome visit to the head of the Nile.

By Michael Greco

In a final push before the self-imposed deadline to call upon an official mediator, Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Sudanese ministers met in Washington last month to reach a consensus over the filling, or “impoundment,” period of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt demanded at least seven years to fill the reservoir, whereas Ethiopia, anxious to reap the dam’s long-awaited benefits, would accept no more than five years.

By Tom Gardner in Ambo

A brutal crackdown on protest and the return of soldiers to the streets of Oromia region has fuelled growing anger and frustration with central government.

It began with a rumour. On 25 October, residents of Ambo, 120km west of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, heard word on social media that a shipment of smuggled sugar was due to pass through town.

By Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura

A brutal crackdown on protest and the return of soldiers to the streets of Oromia region has fuelled growing anger and frustration with central government.

FENDIKA, Ethiopia — When he is away from his fields, Takele Alene, a farmer in northern Ethiopia, spends a lot of his time prying into the personal and political affairs of his neighbors.

By René Lefort

First there are the undiputed events. Then there are the media reactions, and these – apart from a few rare exceptions, among them some of Ethiopia’s private media – have been perplexing.

By William Davison

A blog on making sense of Brexit: one version of what happens when members of the 'educated' British middle classes seek clarity.

Our openDemocracy essay, 'Pro-Remain media and Brexit: unwise response to populism?', stemmed from a variety of sources, but a key one was the EU Referendum blog.

By William Davison for The Messenger

Ethiopia’s public investment in mega dams has been a bold attempt to make up for Africa’s power deficit. But despite some impressive achievements, doubts remain about the efficiency of those schemes, as the government leaves its comfort zone to try and attract private capital into renewable energy projects.

By William Davison in Addis Ababa | The Guardian

Strikes and protests in volatile Oromia state reflect widespread anger over business tax rises as the government tries to reduce its reliance on aid

In the dense cobblestone streets of Burayu town, outside Addis Ababa, Melaku Abdella* and his family had been making a living selling basic items such as vegetables, cooking oil and soft drinks at competitive prices from their kiosk. But after the Ethiopian government stung him with a more than 300% tax increase last month, Abdella says he was left with no option but to close the business.

By Melaku Ayele

He has worked at and still continues to collaborate with institutions in the USA, England, China, Russia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ethiopia and locally in South Africa. Professor Muchie earned his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Science, Technology, and Innovation for Development at the University of Sussex, in the United Kingdom. As a researcher he is held in high esteem by some high-ranking universities the world over. For instance he serves as a Senior Research Associate at the TMD Centre of Oxford University in England. In addition to that he taught and done research work at Cambridge and Middlesex Universities in the same country.