AGP Executive Report

Ethiopia National Dialogue: Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Commission has launched a major conference to resolve political and social differences, with Abiy Ahmed calling it a chance to break the cycle from inflammatory rhetoric to violence, and discussions set to cover identity, state structure, cohesion, corruption, institutions, rights, and reconciliation. Music & Awards: AFRIMMA 2026 nominees are out after a two-year break, with Davido leading the pack and other big names like Burna Boy, Tems, and Tyla among the contenders. Tech & Telecom: Ethio Telecom is exploring a strategic partnership with Inspur Software Technology to speed up Ethiopia’s digital infrastructure push, including AI-ready data centers and cloud platforms. Arts & Culture (Ethiopia in the spotlight): Filmmaker Haile Gerima reflects on how his Ethiopian-rooted work helped grow Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe into a community cultural hub. Church & Youth: Malawi’s Catholic bishops are heading to Nairobi for AMECEA’s plenary, with a youth-centered focus. Sports & Culture: A World Cup travel-and-fandom piece captures how football’s global pull reaches even into the air. International Arts Note: Circus Mondao returns with Ethiopian performers (Agazian Brothers) in its anniversary show.

Ethiopia-EU Talks: Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance Semereta Sewasew met EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela to expand the strategic partnership, with focus on trade, investment, development finance, and sectors like renewable energy, manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, and digital transformation. Digital Infrastructure: Ethio Telecom and Inspur Software Technology explored a strategic partnership aligned with “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028,” aiming to speed up Ethiopia’s digital transformation through AI-ready data centers, cloud platforms, and high-performance computing. National Dialogue: Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Conference began under the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission, bringing together regions, religious groups, civil society, youth, and more than 4,000 participants to discuss identity, state structure, cohesion, corruption, institutions, rights, and reconciliation. Music Spotlight: South Sudanese artist Single Dee earned a second AFRIMMA nomination, competing in Best Male East Africa Artist alongside Ethiopia’s Lij Michael. Arts & Film: Ethiopian-born filmmaker Haile Gerima reflected on how “Sankofa” helped build the Sankofa Video, Books & Cafe cultural hub. Fashion/Design: RLSD Africa 2026 unveiled its Top 15 leather design finalists from across Africa.

Arts & Culture in Ethiopia: Addis Ababa’s digital artist Fanuel Leul is spotlighted for Afrofuturist work blending African heritage, storytelling, and speculative futures. Music & Awards: AFRIMMA 2026 nominees are out, with Davido leading the pack (five nods) and Ethiopia’s Lij Michael listed in the Best Male East Africa Artist category; South Sudan’s Single Dee also shares his second AFRIMMA nomination and urges fans to vote. National Dialogue: Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Conference has started, bringing together regions, faith groups, civil society, and youth to discuss identity, state structure, cohesion, corruption, institutions, human rights, and reconciliation. Diplomacy & Culture Links: President Taye Atske Selassie met Austria and Czech ambassadors, highlighting business ties and growing artistic exchanges. EU-Ethiopia Partnership: Finance State Minister Semereta Sewasew and EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela discussed expanding cooperation on trade, investment, development finance, and reforms. Security Misinformation: A viral clip about Ethiopia’s army chief criticizing PM Abiy is flagged as edited and misleading.

National Dialogue: Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Conference has opened, bringing together regions, faith groups, civil society, youth and other communities to tackle issues like national identity, state structure, cohesion, corruption, institutions, rights and post-conflict reconciliation. Music & Awards: AFRIMMA is back after a two-year break, unveiling 2026 nominees led by Davido (five nods); the Best Male East Africa list includes Ethiopia’s Lij Michael. Digital Art Spotlight: Addis Ababa-based digital artist Fanuel Leul is featured for his Afrofuturist storytelling blending African heritage, comics, 3D art and AI-assisted workflows. EU-Ethiopia Partnership: Finance State Minister Semereta Sewasew met EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela to expand cooperation on trade, investment, development finance and sustainable economic transformation. Arts & Culture Diplomacy: President Taye Atske Selassie bid farewell to Austria and Czech ambassadors, highlighting business ties and growing cultural links, including artistic exchanges between musicians. Security Check: A viral claim about Ethiopia’s army chief criticizing PM Abiy is flagged as misleading, with the original context reportedly edited out.

COP32 Prep: Ethiopia’s FM Gedion Timothewos met COP21 President Laurent Fabius to draw lessons from Paris and push for a transparent, inclusive, Party-driven COP32 process. AFRIMMA Music Buzz: AFRIMMA 2026 nominees are out, with Davido leading the pack (five nods) and a Dallas festival planned for Sept. 12; Ethiopia’s Lij Michael and Veronica Adane are among the East Africa contenders. Film Industry: Venice’s Final Cut section has selected six post-production films from Africa and the Middle East, including titles by Sofia Djama and Alaa Eddine Aljem. Security & Media: A Facebook clip about Ethiopia’s army chief Birhanu Jula was flagged as edited/misleading, with claims about sovereignty and PM Abiy context removed. Arts & Screen: Michael Fassbender’s spy series The Agency climbed to No. 8 on Paramount+ charts after Season 2’s release. Entertainment Loss: Reggae artist Fantan Mojah has died, mourned by the Rastafari community for spiritually driven classics. Retail & Lifestyle: Ashley licensee Yusra Home opened its second Addis Ababa showroom, expanding furniture and bedding options.

COP32 Prep: Ethiopia’s FM Gedion Timothewos met COP21 President Laurent Fabius to draw lessons from Paris and push for a transparent, inclusive, Party-driven COP32 process. Film & Festivals: Six films are set for Venice’s Final Cut post-production section (6–8 Sept), including African titles like Sofia Djama’s “A Quarter to Thursday.” Music Awards: AFRIMMA returns after a two-year break with Davido leading nominations (five), plus a new Dallas festival plan and a full nominee list featuring Ethiopian artists. Reggae Loss: Fantan Mojah has died at 49, mourned across the Rastafari and roots reggae community. Misinformation Check: A viral claim about Ethiopia’s army chief attacking PM Abiy was debunked as an edited clip missing key context. Diaspora & Rights: Saudi Arabia pardoned 1,971 Ethiopian prisoners, even as death-penalty concerns for others persist. Sports & Media: New European broadcast guidelines aim to reduce sexualised camera angles for female athletes. Retail & Lifestyle: Ashley’s Ethiopia licensee Yusra Home opened a second Ashley showroom in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia–Nile Water Diplomacy: Egypt’s foreign minister again warns it will defend Nile water security, calling Ethiopia’s GERD “illegal unilateralism,” while an Ethiopian legal commentary argues the dam reframes the debate around equitable use. Pan-African Culture on Screen: A film program at London’s Barbican revisits the 1969 Pan-African Cultural festival in Algiers, linking Ethiopia’s presence to the wider history of pan-Africanism. Music Awards Spotlight: AFRIMMA 2026 nominations highlight East Africa’s stars, with Ethiopia’s Lij Michael, Veronica Adane and Salemia among the contenders. Live Aid Legacy: Multiple pieces mark 40 years since Live Aid, tracing how the Ethiopia-linked famine relief concert reshaped global music and humanitarian action. Sports & Youth Talent: Kenya’s Junior Starlets qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup again after a 3-1 win over South Africa. Local Arts/Community: Creston’s Dragon Martial Arts Academy returns from an international World Cup tournament with 27 medals, underscoring growing regional participation. Aviation & Infrastructure: Ethiopian Airlines’ Bishoftu International Airport project is reported as officially underway, aiming to ease capacity constraints at Bole.

Live Aid Legacy: Forty years on, the July 13, 1985 concerts that raised global attention for Ethiopia’s famine still stand as proof that music can unite millions and shift the world’s conversation. Pan-African Film & History: A film program tied to “Project a Black Planet” revisits the pan-African cultural moment, including Algiers’ 1969 festival, and how art turned spectacle into solidarity. AFRIMMA Spotlight: Tanzania leads East Africa at AFRIMMA 2026 with 11 nominations, while Kenya’s Nikita Kering, Njerae, Bridgit Blue and Bien also make the cut—Ethiopia’s Lij Michael and Veronica Adane appear too. Ethiopia in the Spotlight: Prime Minister Abiy met former Nigeria President Ọbasanjọ ahead of Ethiopia’s National Dialogue, and Ethiopian Airlines’ Bishoftu International Airport project is underway. Horn of Africa Geopolitics: Analysis says Red Sea power plays are pulling the Horn into a single strategic arena, with Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland and Sudan all caught in the mix. Sports & Youth: Kenya’s Junior Starlets qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, joining Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as Africa’s representatives. Music Culture Abroad: Bob Marley’s iconic statue returns to Liverpool, adding another chapter to the reggae legend’s global reach.

AFRIMMA Nominations: Kenyan artists Nikita Kering, Njerae, Bridgit Blue and Bien have landed 2026 AFRIMMA nods, with voting now open ahead of the Sept. 12 awards in Dallas; the event also expands into an AFRIMMA Music Fest featuring performances, fashion and cultural exhibits. Ethiopia–Qatar Diplomacy: PM Abiy Ahmed traveled to Qatar to pay tribute to the late Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, underscoring Ethiopia–Qatar friendship. Ethiopia in the Spotlight (Aviation): Work has officially started on Ethiopia’s Bishoftu International Airport, led by Ethiopian Airlines, aimed at easing Bole’s capacity limits and boosting regional connectivity. Sports (Women’s Football): Kenya’s Junior Starlets qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after a 3-1 win over South Africa (5-1 on aggregate), joining Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as Africa’s representatives. Culture & Memory: International delegates at Ethiopia’s PI-SF toured the National Palace and Adwa Victory Memorial, linking security talks with Ethiopia’s historical legacy. UK Travel Rules: The UK tightened visa requirements for nationals of 33 African countries, including Ethiopia, affecting transit travelers too.

Aviation & Infrastructure: Ethiopia’s Bishoftu International Airport project officially broke ground, with Ethiopian Airlines framing it as a continent-shaping upgrade to ease Bole’s capacity limits and support AfCFTA trade. Arts, Culture & Heritage: International delegates at Addis Ababa’s Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum toured the National Palace and the Adwa Victory Memorial, spotlighting Ethiopia’s historical legacy and state-building story. Sports (Youth Football): Kenya’s Junior Starlets booked a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup spot after edging South Africa 3-1 in Nairobi, while the wider Africa lineup for Morocco 2026 was completed by Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia. Fashion & Industry: Italy’s IME is positioning itself for luxury and premium jersey markets with a new high-end natural-fibre development push. Music (Global Pop Culture): A look back at Phil Collins’ Live Aid outfit—ordinary clothes that became legendary after crossing the Atlantic on Concorde the same day. Public Diplomacy: Benin President Romuald Wadagni arrived in Addis Ababa for an official working visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties. Humanitarian Consular Relief: Ethiopia says 1,971 nationals in Saudi Arabia received royal amnesty and repatriation is underway.

Ethiopia’s Infrastructure Milestone: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated the modernized Debre Markos Nigus Tekle Haimanot Airport, fulfilling a decades-long community demand after air services were suspended nearly 30 years ago. Heritage & Diplomacy: International delegates at Addis Ababa’s Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum toured Ethiopia’s National Palace and the Adwa Victory Memorial, calling the visits a firsthand look at Ethiopia’s statehood and diplomatic legacy. Sports Management Watch: A federal audit says Ethiopia’s sports facilities struggle with weak standardized management because the Ministry of Culture and Sport failed to develop national contract administration manuals, leaving most regional stadiums below FIFA/CAF standards. Pan-African Security Debate: Retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai urged African-led solutions at the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum, warning that Africa can’t rely on external interventions alone. Global Arts & Film Note: A July streaming guide highlights major releases and classics, including “Rachel Getting Married” on Criterion Channel, for cinephiles following Ethiopian diaspora and regional viewing trends.

Airport & Mobility: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated the modernized Debre Markos Nigus Tekle Haimanot Airport, calling it the long-awaited answer to decades of community demand for restored air connectivity. Heritage & Diplomacy: International delegates at the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum toured Addis Ababa’s National Palace and the Adwa Victory Memorial, framing the visit as a window into Ethiopia’s statehood and historical legacy. AI & Governance: A UN-backed scientific panel warns AI is advancing faster than governments can manage it, urging the world to separate facts from fakes. Security Outlook: Retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai urged African-led solutions, warning the continent can’t rely on external interventions alone. Rights & Institutions: The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission unveiled a new five-year strategy after wrapping up its previous plan, citing progress through an electronic case system. Sports Infrastructure: A federal audit says Ethiopia’s sports facilities suffer from weak standardized management due to missing national contract manuals. Global Finance Watch: China is pushing African debt repayments to shift from USD to yuan, with Kenya’s restructuring cited as a signal. Arts & Culture: A new Ethiopian restaurant, Mimi’s, is set to open in the US Highlands next month.

Cancer Care Expansion: Ethiopia’s region-wide health conversation gets a boost as governments push targeted funds and insurance-style support to cut the cost of cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. AI Governance Watch: A new UN scientific panel warns AI is advancing faster than governments can manage, raising fresh questions about how countries regulate and protect people. Immigration Work Permits: The US extended temporary protected status work permits for people from Haiti and several other countries, including Ethiopia, as legal uncertainty continues. Security & Sovereignty: Retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai urged Africa-led security solutions, stressing regional cooperation and home-grown capabilities. Sports Facilities Oversight: A federal audit says Ethiopia’s sports infrastructure is held back by missing national contract administration manuals, leaving many stadiums short of FIFA/CAF standards. EHRC Strategy Update: Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission rolled out a new five-year strategy and highlighted results from its electronic case management system. Food Self-Sufficiency Push: Ethiopia’s “Bounty of the Basket” initiative reports big jumps in milk, eggs, poultry, fish fingerlings, and honey production. Football Qualifier in Addis: Zambia’s U-17 Women’s team arrived in Addis Ababa ahead of the second leg of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier on July 12.

UN & AI Governance: A UN scientific panel warns AI is advancing faster than governments can regulate, urging the world to separate facts from “fakes” as usage surges. Ethiopia’s Rights & Accountability: The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has closed out its previous five-year plan and launched a new strategy, citing results from its electronic case system and key investigations. Sports Infrastructure: A federal audit says Ethiopia’s sports facilities suffer from weak management because the Ministry of Culture and Sport didn’t develop national contract administration manuals. Russia–Turkey Arms Ripple: The Kremlin says it’s discussing Turkey’s fate for Russia’s S-400 systems, a deal with wider implications for African military procurement. Pan-African Diplomacy: Lavrov’s Ethiopia visit highlights Russia’s steady engagement with African partners amid claims of “isolation.” Food Self-Sufficiency: Ethiopia’s “Bounty of the Basket” initiative reports big jumps in milk, eggs, poultry, chicks, fish fingerlings, and honey production. Football Reality Check: A report notes that huge populations don’t automatically produce World Cup teams—grassroots investment matters, with Ethiopia still waiting for a first appearance. COP32 Build-Up: Ethiopia’s upcoming COP32 is framed as a major chance for diplomacy and climate action across Africa.

World Population Day 2026: July 11 is marked worldwide to spotlight population pressures on sustainable development, reproductive rights, and family planning, with Ethiopia listed among the world’s most populous countries. Ethiopia Food Security: The “Bounty of the Basket” initiative says Ethiopia has surged in milk, eggs, poultry, fish fingerlings, and honey production—aiming at food self-sufficiency and nutrition gains. Regional Power & Connectivity: Ethiopia says it will keep pushing Eastern Africa Power Pool plans for an integrated regional electricity market, stressing rule of law and shared governance. Ethiopia Sports (U-17 Women’s Qualifier): Zambia’s Under-17 women’s team has arrived in Addis Ababa for the second-leg clash against Ethiopia, chasing a World Cup spot. Arts & Culture (Gallery Opening): Creative Arts Guild hosts a free July gallery opening and reception featuring exhibits that dig into craft, identity, migration, and global stories. Fashion & Food (Ethiopian Dining Abroad): Mimi’s Ethiopian Restaurant is set to open Aug. 1 in Louisville, promising classics like doro wat and kitfo plus a traditional coffee ceremony. Global Arts/Media: A guide to July 2026 streaming highlights new and classic films across major platforms.

Athletics Spotlight: Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi smashed a 27-year world record in Monaco in the men’s 1,000m, while Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke and Senayet Getachew finished second and third in the women’s 3,000m. Food & Farming: Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture says the “Bounty of the Basket” (Yelemat Trufat) initiative has boosted milk, eggs, poultry meat, honey, and aquaculture outputs, including a jump in fish fingerlings. Regional Power & Energy: Ethiopia’s Water and Energy Minister says Addis Ababa is pushing Eastern Africa Power Pool plans for an integrated regional electricity market. Sports (Women’s Football): Zambia’s U-17 Women’s team arrived in Addis Ababa ahead of the second leg of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia. Arts & Fashion (Local): Creative Arts Guild hosts a July gallery opening and reception, including “Heirloom Darlings,” focused on the craft behind historical clothing. Arts & Culture (Diaspora): A new Ethiopian restaurant, Mimi’s Ethiopian Restaurant, is set to open Aug. 1 in Louisville, featuring doro wat, kitfo, and a traditional coffee ceremony. Humanitarian Climate: A new initiative by Action Against Hunger and IGAD ICPAC launches anticipatory action systems to protect people across the Greater Horn of Africa from climate and conflict shocks.