Ethiopia has defended its mixed voting record at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), insisting its “principled” opposition to “country-specific” resolutions even as it voted differently across several country-focused mandates during the session.

Ambassador Nebiyat Getachew, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Ethiopia completed its first leadership mandate as Vice President of the 47-member Council while serving its third term as a member. The session, held in Geneva from 02 -31 March 2026, saw the adoption of 38 resolutions addressing global human rights issues, including country-specific mandates.

The spokesperson said Ethiopia maintains “a long-standing” position against country-specific resolutions, arguing that such mechanisms risk infringing on national sovereignty and may be used to exert political pressure on states.

He recalled Ethiopia’s own experience during the war in the Tigray region, when the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) was established despite Addis Abeba’s objections.

Ethiopia’s complex challenges require more coherent, ambitious, and system-wide collaboration to bridge humanitarian funding gaps, priority strategic engagements and coordination; says  appointed UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ozonnia Ojielo.

Ojielo’s statement comes following a meeting with UNHCR Ethiopia’s leadership and staff focused on operational priorities, national alignment, and the evolving displacement landscape in Ethiopia.

UNHCR currently operates in 10 field locations across major refugee-hosting regions—including Gambella, Somali Region, Benishangul-Gumuz, and the northern border areas—supporting 30 refugee sites and camps as well as a significant urban refugee population in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia continues to host around 1.1 million refugees, primarily from South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea. The team highlighted the continued shift toward community-based and refugee-led approaches, strengthened partnerships with local organizations, and deeper alignment with national priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

Ambassador Konjit SineGiorgis, one of Ethiopia’s most distinguished diplomats and among its longest-serving foreign service professionals, has passed away at the age of 86 on 07 April 2026 following medical treatment.

Born in 1940 in Harar, eastern Ethiopia, Ambassador Konjit dedicated more than five decades to public service, building a diplomatic career that spanned multiple generations of leadership and major transitions in Ethiopia’s foreign policy landscape.

She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the early 1960s and rose through the ranks from a desk officer to senior leadership, becoming the second woman in Ethiopia’s history to attain ambassadorial rank, following Ambassador Yodit Emiru.

Throughout her career, she served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in key diplomatic missions in Ottawa, Cairo, Tel Aviv, and Vienna. She also held the position of Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), where she contributed to advancing Ethiopia’s multilateral engagement.

Mansen Investments PLC and Baijia Ceramic Manufacturing PLC have signed a strategic partnership to locally manufacture and exclusively distribute a new line of premium ceramic and porcelain products tailored for the Ethiopian market.

The agreement, signed on April 4 at Minab Wellness Club inside the Jubilee Palace in the presence of senior government officials and business leaders, makes Mansen Investments the commercial lead for the project. The company will oversee product specification, design selection, brand positioning, market development and exclusive distribution in Ethiopia.

Baijia Ceramic Manufacturing will serve as the OEM manufacturing partner, producing the products according to Mansen’s technical standards, branding requirements and market specifications. The companies said the collaboration is intended to introduce a differentiated product line with unique designs, higher quality standards and carefully selected categories aimed at Ethiopia’s evolving construction and real estate markets.

Mansen said the partnership is part of its broader commitment to support industrial growth, value addition and long-term economic transformation in Ethiopia. The company is part of a group involved in major developments in the country, including Arada Mall and Minab Wellness Club.