Ethiopia has dropped to 145th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), down from 141st in 2024, as the country faces renewed threats to independent journalism amid ongoing conflict and political instability.

The annual index, published ahead of World Press Freedom Day, highlights a global decline in press freedom, with Ethiopia now categorized among countries facing “very serious” threats to media independence and journalist safety. RSF’s assessment points to a reversal of the modest gains made in recent years, as violence and government crackdowns have reignited fears among journalists and media workers.

RSF’s report notes that Ethiopia’s media landscape, while more open and pluralistic than under previous regimes, has suffered major setbacks due to inter-ethnic conflict and the lingering effects of civil war. The outbreak of violence in the Amhara region, just months after the November 2022 peace agreement that formally ended the Tigray war, has led to a resurgence of reprisals and intimidation against journalists.

Propaganda and disinformation remain pervasive, with both government authorities and opposition militias seeking to control the narrative around ongoing conflicts. The government’s creation of a so-called “fact-checking” platform, which RSF describes as a conduit for official messaging and unverified information, has further eroded trust in independent reporting. The Ethiopian Media Authority, meanwhile, is criticized for failing to promote quality journalism or protect media freedom.

While a 2021 media law decriminalized defamation and promised greater protections for journalists, RSF finds that these legal safeguards are often circumvented in practice. Journalists continue to face arbitrary arrests under vague anti-terrorism and hate speech laws, and the state of emergency declared in Amhara in August 2023 has been used to override existing legal protections-even after its official end in June 2024.

Economic fragility is another leading threat. Low salaries, rising living costs, and corruption challenge the professional integrity of journalists. Media ownership remains concentrated in the hands of a few businessmen, limiting editorial independence and making it difficult for new outlets to enter the market.

Ethnic, regional, and political biases persist in many newsrooms, contributing to widespread self-censorship and undermining pluralistic, balanced journalism. Safety remains a critical concern: abuses against journalists, including killings and arbitrary detention, have continued since the Tigray conflict, with many reporters imprisoned on serious charges such as “promoting terrorism.” Some have been forced to flee the country, while foreign media have also faced suspensions and expulsions.

The 2025 RSF Index marks the first time the global media freedom situation has been classified as “difficult,” the second-lowest grade possible. Economic fragility, ownership concentration, and political interference are cited as key drivers of the decline, with more than half the world’s population now living in countries where journalism is considered dangerous or press freedom is absent.

Ethiopia’s textile and garment industry, a cornerstone of the country’s industrialization ambitions, is grappling with critical policy shortcomings and an urgent demand for the introduction of a national minimum wage. Industry experts, labor advocates, and business leaders are warning that unless these issues are addressed, the sector’s growth and global competitiveness could be at risk.

A recent roundtable organized by the Forum for Social Studies (FSS) brought together stakeholders who unanimously pointed to the government’s delayed response in tackling the acute shortage of skilled labor in the sector. According to Dr. Tolera Aderie, former executive member of the Ethiopian Textile and Apparel National Association, the number of skilled workers entering the industry has dropped alarmingly in recent years. Research attributes this decline to the sector’s eroding professional prestige and a widespread tendency among employers to hire low-skilled, lower-paid workers.

This approach, experts warn, undermines efforts to build a competent workforce and threatens the sector’s sustainable growth. “Employers’ focus on cheap, unskilled labor may offer short-term savings, but it is detrimental to long-term productivity and the industry’s reputation,” said Dr. Tolera.

The absence of a statutory minimum wage has emerged as a major concern. Tesfaye Abdisa, President of the Ethiopian Textile Federation, is among those calling for immediate action. “The government’s continued delay in setting minimum wage limits is harming both workers and the sector as a whole,” Tesfaye emphasized. Factory managers in key production hubs such as Hawassa, Bole Lemi, and Kombolcha have echoed these concerns, stating that the lack of legal wage floors makes it difficult to manage their workforce and retain skilled employees.

A 2023 FSS study highlighted the detrimental effects of poor wage conditions, especially for female workers in industrial parks and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The research, which drew on extensive interviews with government officials, factory managers, and workers, underscored the urgent need for statutory wage protections to safeguard workers’ rights and welfare.

The sector’s challenges are further compounded by high labor turnover and absenteeism rates. Studies have found annual turnover rates in some industrial parks can reach up to 100%, with absenteeism as high as 10% per month. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that the average monthly wage in Ethiopia’s textile and garment sector is just 3,000 birr (about $52), among the lowest globally. Nearly half of workers in foreign-owned garment factories have left their jobs due to inadequate pay, signaling widespread frustration and instability.

Despite the government’s efforts to attract investment and create jobs through the establishment of 13 specialized industrial parks, policy gaps around wages and workforce development continue to cast a shadow over the sector’s future. Outdated vocational education and training (TVET) curricula, a lack of industry-relevant skills, and insufficient investment in training centers have left the sector struggling to meet the demands of modern, technology-driven manufacturing.

The government’s ambitious goal to create 350,000 jobs in the textile industry by 2025 is at risk unless comprehensive reforms are enacted. Industry leaders and labor advocates are now urging policymakers to prioritize the establishment of a fair and enforceable minimum wage, update skills training programs, and strengthen protections for workers.

The Ministry of Industry has acknowledged that Ethiopia’s young entrepreneurs and innovative startups are struggling to secure investment partners, despite growing government efforts to foster a vibrant startup ecosystem.

Minister of Industry Melaku Alebel made the remarks ahead of this year’s Ethiopian Product Expo, emphasizing that while the government is working to create opportunities for startups, many still face significant barriers in connecting with investors who can help scale their ideas into profitable ventures.

The challenge is not new. Ethiopia’s startup sector has long grappled with limited funding opportunities, an underdeveloped investment culture, and regulatory complexities. Recent studies highlight that early-stage investment remains sparse, with inconsistent funding for both seed and growth-stage startups. Only a handful of Ethiopian startups have attracted substantial capital, and most entrepreneurs cite a lack of access to investors as a primary constraint.

To address these issues, the government has introduced a draft “Startup Ecosystem Development Policy,” aiming to provide a comprehensive framework to support startups from inception to market expansion. The policy identifies key challenges, including the absence of clear definitions for startups, limited access to skilled talent, and regulatory hurdles. However, it also notes strengths such as a young, entrepreneurial population and increasing support from international partners.

At the upcoming Ethiopian Product Expo, over 288 participants-including 161 high-end manufacturers and 100 small and medium enterprises-will showcase their products, with more than 120,000 visitors expected. The minister expressed hope that the expo will facilitate over 6,000 business transactions worth more than 4 billion birr, potentially opening new avenues for startup investment.

East Africa is experiencing a dramatic escalation in cyber threats, with Ethiopia and its neighbors witnessing a surge in sophisticated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting critical sectors. The latest data from NETSCOUT’s 2H 2024 Threat Intelligence Report reveals that no country or industry in the region is immune, as cybercriminals deploy increasingly complex tactics to disrupt digital infrastructure and exploit vulnerabilities.

Between June and December 2024, East African nations-including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Seychelles, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Rwanda-faced a relentless wave of DDoS attacks. The region was part of the 3.78 million incidents recorded across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa during this period, with global DDoS activity rising 12.75% to over 8.9 million attacks.

Kenya recorded the highest number of attacks in East Africa, with 34,687 incidents, though this was a decrease from the 57,319 attacks in the first half of 2024. Uganda saw a sharp rise, with attacks jumping from 1,564 to 6,145, primarily targeting the wireless telecommunications sector. Djibouti experienced the longest-lasting attacks in the region, averaging 271 minutes per incident.

Ethiopia experienced 107 DDoS attacks in the second half of 2024, matching the number from the first half of the year. The most significant attack peaked at 12.18 Gbps and 1.18 million packets per second, with the majority of incidents targeting wireless telecommunications providers through DNS Amplification and UDP-based flood techniques. While the attack volume is lower than in some neighboring countries, the persistent targeting of Ethiopia’s digital infrastructure underscores the nation’s growing vulnerability as its digital economy expands.

In response, Ethiopia has intensified its cybersecurity efforts. The Information Network Security Administration (INSA) reported thwarting approximately 8,854 attempted cyberattacks during the 2023/24 fiscal year, up from 6,959 the previous year. INSA has launched public awareness campaigns, enhanced legal frameworks, and invested in human resources and technology to protect vital sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government services.

INSA Director General Tigist Hamid emphasized the urgency of these measures: “Data theft has become a daily concern and INSA is ramping up its efforts to address the rising number of cyber threats. This initiative aims to strengthen cybersecurity and protect the nation’s sovereignty”.

The threat landscape is evolving rapidly. Attackers are leveraging enterprise-grade servers, AI-driven automation, and proxy networks to conduct multi-vector attacks that are harder to detect and mitigate. The most common attack methods in Ethiopia include DNS Amplification and UDP floods, but the region as a whole is witnessing a broader variety of vectors and higher levels of complexity.

Experts warn that as digital transformation accelerates across East Africa, the risk of cyberattacks will only grow. Bryan Hamman, regional director for Africa at NETSCOUT, noted, “As attack volumes fluctuate and complexity increases, no sector can afford to be complacent. Proactive defense strategies, underpinned by real-time visibility and intelligent threat mitigation, are essential to safeguarding critical infrastructure”.