Toronto, ON — September 19, 2025 — The Annual Bikila Award “Elevate and Engage” Event, presented in collaboration with the Global Initiative for Civil Conversations (GICC), is set to host a timely and thought-provoking discussion on one of Ethiopia’s most pressing challenges: water and energy security in the post-GERD era.Taking place on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Regis College, University of Toronto (100 Wellesley St. West, Toronto, ON), the event invites the public to explore how the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is shaping Ethiopia’s future.The keynote speaker, Eng. Gedion Asfaw, Ethiopia’s Chief GERD Negotiator with over 45 years of professional experience, will lead the discussion under the theme: “From Mega-Project to Everyday Impact: Ethiopia’s Construction of GERD Is Finished, But the Water and Energy Struggle Isn’t.”The interactive hybrid town hall will go beyond headlines, addressing what reliable energy and clean, safe water mean for Ethiopia’s people and development trajectory.Invited speakers include:<ul><li>Dr. Tirusew Asefa, Manager of Planning &amp; System Decision Support at Tampa Bay Water, Florida, and Courtesy Professor at USF.</li><li>Dr. Martha Dagnew, Associate Professor at Western University, London, ON.</li><li>Mr. Shiferaw Lulu, water resources expert with more than 40 years of experience, specializing in groundwater exploration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.</li></ul>Moderator:<ul><li>Dr. Abate Wolde-Kirkos, Assistant Professor, TECH 121, Houston, Texas.</li></ul>The event will also feature an extended Q&amp;A session, providing attendees an opportunity to engage directly with the experts, ask questions, and discuss solutions. Refreshments will be provided, offering time for networking and community dialogue.Organizers emphasize that while GERD’s completion is a milestone, the conversation about equitable water access and sustainable energy is just beginning.

 Bikila Award Event to Spotlight Ethiopia’s Post-GERD Water and Energy Future

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ADDIS ABABA — Tiegist Zerihun (pictured) and Mentamer Tsegaw, journalists with Sheger FM 102.1, have been imprisoned for their reporting earlier this September.Their arrest has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates, who say the continued targeting of independent media voices is part of a broader pattern of silencing dissent in Ethiopia.Calls for their immediate release are growing, with many urging authorities to respect freedom of the press and allow journalists to work without fear of imprisonment.

CRACKDOWN ON PRESS FREEDOM: Two Sheger FM Journalists Jailed Again in Ethiopia

Toronto, ON — In a historic and joyous occasion, the official flag of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was raised at Toronto City Hall for the very first time, marking the celebration of Ethiopian New Year 2018.The ceremony was attended by Toronto City Councillor Brad Bradford, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Association in the GTA &amp; Surrounding Regions (Selah Getaneh), and Board President Meseret Demeke, along with many members of the Ethiopian Canadian community.“I’m proud to join the flag raising at City Hall — a meaningful celebration of culture, heritage, and the community’s vital contributions to Toronto,” Councillor Bradford said.The event brought together community leaders, families, and friends to honor Ethiopia’s rich cultural history and share in the joy of the New Year. The flag raising represents not only the recognition of the Ethiopian community’s presence in Toronto but also the city’s ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and multicultural celebration.

 For the First Time, the Official Flag of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Raised at Toronto City Hall! 

﻿Addis Ababa – Ethiopia will inaugurate the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Tuesday, marking a historic moment for the Horn of Africa nation and the continent at large. The $4.8 billion megastructure, towering over the Blue Nile, is Africa’s largest hydroelectric project and has long been hailed by Ethiopians as a symbol of resilience, self-reliance, and modern nation-building.Constructed with domestic financing after international lenders initially declined to back it, GERD is expected to generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity, providing power to tens of millions of Ethiopians who currently live without reliable access to energy. The project is seen in Ethiopia as a cornerstone for economic transformation and a rallying point for national pride.Yet, as Addis Ababa celebrates, controversy continues to ripple downstream. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for nearly all of its freshwater supply, has consistently expressed fears that the dam will reduce the river’s flow and threaten its water security, calling the project an “existential threat.” Sudan, too, has raised concerns about water regulation and safety risks.For over a decade, negotiations among Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan—mediated at different times by the African Union and international partners—have failed to produce a binding agreement on how the dam should be filled and operated.Foreign media coverage reflects both the sense of achievement in Ethiopia and the unease across the region. Al Jazeera highlights Egypt’s deep concerns over water scarcity; Africanews emphasizes the ongoing disputes with Sudan and Egypt; while China’s CGTN underscores the dam’s role as a landmark in African development, built entirely through domestic resources and symbolizing regional ambition.As the inauguration takes place, the GERD embodies two narratives: a triumph of African self-reliance and modernization on one hand, and a flashpoint for one of the world’s most delicate transboundary water disputes on the other.

 Ethiopia Set to Inaugurate Africa’s Largest Dam Amid Regional Tensions

Calgary, September 5, 2025 — Ethiopia has lost one of its most decorated war veterans. Lieutenant Colonel Mamo Habtewald, renowned for his courage in the Korean War and honored as a Hero of the Korean War, has passed away.Lt. Col. Mamo was a distinguished member of the United Nations’ Kagnew Battalion, earning international recognition for his extraordinary bravery. He remains the only Ethiopian, aside from Emperor Haile Selassie, to be awarded the nation’s highest honor, the St. George’s Battlefield Medal.His long list of military decorations reflects his global recognition:<ul><li>Ethiopia: Star of Honor, Officer’s Medal, Korean War Commemorative Medal, Combat Badge</li><li>United States: Unit Citation for Allied Valor</li><li>South Korea: High War Medal, Korean War Commemorative Medal, Community Citation</li><li>Belgium: King Leopold II Knight’s Medal, World War II Medal</li><li>United Nations: Korean War Commemorative Medal</li></ul>The funeral service will be held in Calgary, Ca

Ethiopia’s Korean War Hero, Lt. Col. Mamo Habtewald, Passes Away in Canada

GERD Inaugural Symposium Concludes with Final Session This Saturday

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Toronto, August 30, 2025 — The Ethio-Canadian Network for Advocacy and Support (ECNAS) has declined an invitation to engage with Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Commission (ENDC), citing what it calls a “fundamental lack of credibility, transparency, and moral integrity.”

ECNAS criticized the Commission for excluding key voices from Amhara and Oromia, aligning too closely with the federal government, ignoring atrocities, suppressing civic space, and attempting to launch dialogue amid ongoing conflict.

Calling the ENDC’s approach “performative,” ECNAS warned the process risks eroding public trust and leaving the root causes of conflict unaddressed.

Instead, ECNAS said it will step up advocacy with international partners and grassroots groups to demand an end to atrocities, the release of political prisoners, and the creation of a truly independent framework for dialogue.

“Ethiopia is at a breaking point—genuine reconciliation cannot wait,” the group said.
