The African Union (AU) has renewed its diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, calling for the implementation of existing peace agreements and warning against an escalation into a full-blown crisis in the Horn of Africa.

Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said the continental body was engaging leaders and other stakeholders in both countries to reduce tensions and prevent further deterioration of relations.

Speaking at a press conference, Adeoye said the AU was working to re-energize the implementation of the Algiers Agreement, signed between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as the Pretoria Agreement, which ended the fighting between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

He said the AU was committed to ensuring peace in the Horn of Africa and that the obligations contained in both agreements should continue to guide diplomatic efforts.

The commissioner disclosed that former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who serves as the AU Chairperson’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa, was conducting consultations and shuttle diplomacy to help reduce tensions in the region.

He added that the AU Commission would continue engaging all parties at different levels to prevent the situation from developing into a full-scale crisis.

Adeoye also emphasized the importance of collective security and called for an end to external interference in African conflicts, arguing that foreign involvement often prolongs crises.

“We condemn any external interference in African conflicts because what we see is that the more you have external interference in the crisis, the more you have prolonged crisis,” he said.

Beyond the Horn of Africa, the commissioner said the African Union was strengthening its continent-wide approach to peacebuilding, with greater emphasis on preventing conflicts rather than managing them after they erupt.

He said African leaders who met in Luanda, Angola, in August 2026 adopted new mechanisms to improve the AU’s capacity to identify emerging threats, assess conflict situations and address their underlying causes.

Among the measures is a new trigger mechanism designed to help identify potential conflicts at an early stage, alongside an assessment tool intended to strengthen the work of AU conflict analysts both at headquarters and through liaison offices operating in more than 12 countries.

Adeoye said the mechanisms would help the organization better understand the structural drivers of conflicts, including climate shocks, technological developments, youth discontent and geopolitical rivalries.

He stressed that the AU does not take sides in political disputes but supports peace and inclusive processes involving all relevant actors.

The commissioner also called for the participation of women, young people and children in peacebuilding efforts, emphasizing that no group should be excluded from conflict prevention and resolution.

He said the African Union’s ultimate objective was to advance the aspirations of Agenda 2063, which envisions a peaceful, secure and prosperous continent.

Adeoye said the AU was also strengthening its peace and security mechanisms across other conflict-affected parts of Africa, including Sudan, Somalia and the Sahel.

He highlighted the AU’s continued engagement in Somalia, where its mission has evolved from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the current African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

He also pointed to the African Standby Force as an important instrument for both conflict prevention and crisis response.

African leaders adopted a memorandum of understanding between the AU and Regional Economic Communities in October 2026 to strengthen cooperation on the force.

In the Sahel, the AU is working to establish a special task force, following a decision by its Peace and Security Council, to strengthen regional cooperation against terrorism.

The initiative is expected to involve all member states, including countries currently suspended from the organization.

The commissioner further noted that the AU was supporting political transitions in South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Madagascar in cooperation with international partners, including the United Nations Development Programme.

He said the organization was also reviewing its Silencing the Guns agenda, with a new report expected to inform discussions at the next AU summit.
“Silencing the guns is not a slogan for us. It is a philosophical decision made by our leaders to follow the path of peace and resolve conflicts before they become violent,” Adeoye said.

He described the AU’s Peacebuilding Month as an opportunity for African countries to renew their commitment to preventing conflicts, strengthening inclusive political processes and investing in sustainable peace.

The commissioner said the AU would continue working with member states and international partners to make peacebuilding a sustained continental priority rather than an initiative limited to a commemorative month.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has confirmed that 48 people were killed and 20 others injured in an armed attack in Southeast Oromia Zone, formerly known as Arsi Zone, on October 24, 2026.

In an investigation report released following the incident, the Commission said the attack also resulted in the destruction of 21 houses, the displacement of 247 households and the looting of an undetermined number of cattle and sheep.

According to the EHRC, the attack took place in Birbona Chole Kebele, Sirka Woreda, in the Southeast Oromia Zone. An armed group identified by the Commission as the Oromo Liberation Front, commonly known as OLF-Shene, reportedly entered the area from four directions and carried out the attack between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The victims included 23 kebele-level security personnel, five militia members and 20 civilians, the report said. A further 20 people sustained injuries.

The Commission said it gathered information from victims, families of victims, eyewitnesses, community representatives, religious leaders, injured people receiving medical treatment and relevant government institutions. It also verified the killings through field observations and digital investigation methods.

The EHRC said it had repeatedly called on the government to take appropriate measures to prevent recurring attacks in several parts of the former Arsi Zone, including Aseko, Anqolo Wabe, Guna and Merti woredas, protect civilians and bring those responsible to justice. It stressed that the government has a constitutional obligation to respect, protect and fulfil citizens’ rights to life, property, physical security and liberty. It added that authorities must not only investigate human rights violations and ensure accountability but also introduce sustainable preventive measures to stop similar attacks from happening again.

EHRC Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adelo described the killings, injuries, property destruction and displacement as extremely serious, calling on the government to strengthen civilian protection in affected areas and other locations facing similar security threats.

He urged authorities to respond promptly to security threats by reviewing and strengthening local security structures and improving early warning systems.

The Commissioner also called for a prompt, independent and effective investigation into the attack, accountability for those responsible, and adequate assistance for the families of those killed and injured.

He further urged the government to facilitate the safe return of displaced residents to their villages and take immediate measures to compensate and rehabilitate victims.

The Commission said it is continuing investigations into human rights violations and the causes of attacks in different districts and periods across the Southeast Oromia Zone. It will release additional findings once the investigations are completed.

The EHRC also said it is monitoring and investigating attacks in Gambella, areas along the Oromia-Somali regional border, various parts of the Amhara Region and human rights violations linked to the conflict in the Tigray Region.

PetroChina International is exploring opportunities to develop a regional oil transportation corridor linking South Sudan to Djibouti through Ethiopia, a project that could provide the landlocked oil-producing country with an alternative export route while strengthening Djibouti’s ambition to become a regional energy hub.

The proposal was discussed during a meeting between the Chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority and a high-level PetroChina International (Middle East) Company Limited delegation led by Deputy General Manager Hu Weiqiang at the Red Sea World Centre this week.

Discussions focused on the proposed construction of a petroleum storage depot with a capacity of 300,000 cubic metres at Damerjog Industrial Park, the possible establishment of an oil refinery and the development of the cross-border transportation corridor.

The proposed route would extend approximately 1,550 kilometres from South Sudan through Ethiopia to Djibouti, crossing areas with a maximum elevation of 2,400 metres. According to the project proposal, the corridor was selected partly because of Djibouti’s existing port facilities and the availability of supporting infrastructure, including roads and electricity, along the route.

The Damerjog Liquid Bulk Port would serve as the main maritime gateway, allowing South Sudanese crude to reach international markets through Djibouti.

The initiative could offer South Sudan an important alternative to its longstanding dependence on oil export pipelines passing through neighbouring Sudan to Port Sudan. Oil exports remain the country’s primary source of government revenue, making disruptions to transportation infrastructure a major economic and fiscal risk.

The conflict in Sudan has repeatedly interrupted oil transportation, forcing shutdowns and affecting South Sudan’s already fragile economy. Establishing another export route through Ethiopia could reduce this vulnerability and provide greater flexibility in accessing international markets.

The proposed corridor is not entirely new. South Sudan previously identified Djibouti as a potential alternative export destination following its independence in 2011, and the two countries subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding for a crude oil pipeline through Ethiopia. However, implementation has made limited progress.

For Djibouti, the discussions complement broader efforts to expand its petroleum storage, processing and transportation infrastructure. Damerjog Industrial Park has attracted investment in a 375,000-cubic-metre petroleum products storage terminal developed by Dangote Industries.

The facility forms part of a $660 million Djibouti-Ethiopia pipeline project connecting Damerjog with Dewele in eastern Ethiopia, which is expected to significantly reduce fuel transportation time between the two countries.

PetroChina International (Middle East), established in 2002, is a wholly owned subsidiary of PetroChina, part of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The company operates across the Middle East, the Red Sea region and East Africa, trading more than 140 crude oil grades.

CNPC already has substantial interests in South Sudan’s petroleum industry through its leading role in the Dar Petroleum Operating Company joint venture, which operates oil Blocks 3 and 7.

The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) and DHL Express Ethiopia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the export capacity and international market access of Ethiopia’s coffee sector.

The partnership, signed on November 3 under DHL’s GoTrade programme, will focus on improving the knowledge and skills of Ethiopian coffee exporters and businesses in international trade, export procedures, logistics, customs requirements and access to global markets.

The agreement was facilitated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) through the ACT Coffee Programme’s Compliance pillar, which supports coffee-sector stakeholders in meeting international trade, quality and regulatory requirements.

Under the agreement, ECTA and DHL Express Ethiopia will conduct targeted capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities for coffee exporters, enterprises and professionals. DHL will provide expertise in international shipping, logistics, customs procedures and cross-border trade, while ECTA will identify beneficiaries and ensure the activities address the priorities of Ethiopia’s coffee sector.

“This partnership represents an important step towards equipping Ethiopian coffee enterprises and professionals with the practical knowledge and skills needed to compete more effectively in international markets,” ECTA Director Office head Sefissa Ababu said.

He added that strengthening export readiness and logistics capabilities would help improve competitiveness, value addition and sustainable growth across the coffee sector.

DHL Express Ethiopia Commercial Manager Yonas Sbhat said Ethiopian coffee continues to enjoy strong international demand, but changing customs requirements, regulatory standards and logistics challenges can create barriers to market access, particularly for growing businesses.

“Strengthening knowledge of international trade and cross-border processes enables exporters to compete successfully and expand into new markets,” Yonas said.

The cooperation has already supported a nine-month capacity-building programme involving about 30 participants from private coffee enterprises and ECTA.

The programme covered international trade, logistics, export documentation and customs procedures.
UNIDO said the MoU represents a practical outcome of the ACT Coffee Programme’s Compliance pillar and demonstrates how public-private cooperation can strengthen Ethiopia’s coffee value chain.

The organization said the partnership combines ECTA’s sector leadership with DHL’s international logistics expertise to help Ethiopian coffee enterprises meet international requirements, expand market access and improve their competitiveness.

The initiative is expected to improve export efficiency, support business growth and create new opportunities for Ethiopian coffee businesses in regional and international markets.