Mehari Taddele Maru

Originally published on: African Futures Co-Authored Article: By addressing internal challenges first, Africa can develop a stronger foundation from which to exercise meaningful influence in global affairs and protect its strategic interests. A more pragmatic and dynamic approach is needed, where the multitude of external engagements complements the pursuit of domestic African peace and development. ...

Co-Authored article: Africa’s influence on the world stage is growing. Not only does the continent play an increasing diplomatic role in the Ukraine war; its membership of, and participation in, multilateral forums such as the G20 and BRICS is growing, and it demands a place in the UN Security Council. Amid the global scramble for ...

Originally Published on: Henley Global The number of applications for Europe’s Schengen Area visas has been declining over the years as rejection rates have surged. While restrictive for all applications, the European visa regime is notably more stringent towards African visa applicants than those from other regions. Addressing these issues would signal Europe’s commitment to ...

Scorecard of the Implementation of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities (CoHA) Originally Published at: Addis Standard 1. On February 9, 2024, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE), the recently formed Tigray Interim Regional Administration (TIRA) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) convened a joint meeting. Its purpose was to discuss the implementation of the Cessation ...

Originally Published at: Addis Standard At the core of the current debate surrounding the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland lies three major interests: Somalia’s unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty; Somaliland’s pursuit of de jure recognition of its de facto independence and sovereignty, alongside Ethiopia’s renewed long-standing aspiration to regain access to ...

Originally Published on: Addis Standard and The Elephant On 1 December 2023, over a year after the signing of the Agreement for Lasting Peace through the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities (the Pretoria Agreement) in Pretoria, South Africa, the African Union (AU) convened the Third Joint Committee Meeting of the Monitoring, Verification, and Compliance Mechanism (MVCM) ...

Originally Published on: UNU – CRIS Amid global attention on conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, a largely ignored proxy war continues in the Republic of Sudan, often veiled in misinformation and disregarded as geopolitically unimportant by the Western world. This war, similar to those in Ethiopia’s regions of Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, and the Democratic Republic ...

Originally Published on: UNU – CRIS CIA Director William J. Burns in his compelling speech titled ‘A World Transformed and the Role of Intelligence’ incisively pointed the pivotal strategic dilemma Africa, and the Global South are confronting due to increasing geopolitical competition. “In a more volatile and uncertain world, in which power is more diffuse, the ...

Originally Published on: Just Security The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) will soon decide the future of an independent commission investigating alleged war crimes and other human rights violations in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and other areas. The panel of three experts has identified “grave and systematic violations of international law and crimes” since the ...

Originally Published on: The Elephant On September 14, 2023, ICHREE submitted its second report that details the atrocities committed in Ethiopia and called for further investigation. ICHREE also reiterated its call for unrestricted access to regions where grave atrocities persist. Ethiopia’s failure to credibly investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law leads ICHREE ...