News Highlights – Thursday, January 28, 2021 News Contents COVID-19 Pandemic .........................................................................................................3 Ethiopia ...............................................................................................................................3 ⚫ Some 18 Top Military Officials Defected To TPLF Clique Arrested .................3 ⚫ Expulsion Of TPLF Junta Mortifies Those Who Won’t See Unified Ethiopia: Somali Deputy President..............................................................................................3 ⚫ DPM, FMoE Demeke Mekonnen confers with EU Ambassadors and representatives of European countries .........................................................................4 ⚫ Former PM Delivers Special Message from PM Abiy to Kenyan President ........4 ⚫ Saudi Arabia offers border crisis mediation between Sudan, Ethiopia ................4 Horn of Africa ....................................................................................................................5 Somalia ........................................................................................................................5 ⚫ Somalia threatens to leave IGAD over Kenya dispute ........................................5 ⚫ Somalia's Minister of Women says lawmaker quota for females too low ...........6 ⚫ Somalia criticizes 'one-sided report' on row with Kenyans ..................................7 Sudan............................................................................................................................7 ⚫ Al-Ta’ayeshi: Sudan will Remain Keen for Peaceful Solution to Border Issue with Ethiopia ................................................................................................................7 ⚫ Sudan dispatches delegations to regional countries to clarify situation of borders with Ethiopia ...............................................................................................................8 South Sudan .................................................................................................................9 ⚫ Kenyan president urges South Sudan leaders to expedite peace process ............9 ⚫ Somalia rejects probe report on tiff with Kenya - .............................................10 Gulf Region and the Middle East ...................................................................................11 ⚫ Article: breakthrough in Libya, or just too much ado about nothing? ................11 Emerging Powers .............................................................................................................12 ⚫ Biden administration puts a freeze on Trump-era arm sales overseas ...............12 COVID-19 Pandemic Region Infections Deaths Recoveries Globe 101.45 million 2.18 million 73.34 million Africa 3.51million 88,095 2.98 million Ethiopia 135,045 2,083 121,594 Follow live updates on worldometers.info/coronavirus/ ___________________________________________________________________ Ethiopia ⚫ Some 18 Top Military Officials Defected To TPLF Clique Arrested – Fana Some 18 top military officials who defected to the TPLF clique and fighting alongside the Junta have been arrested today, the Ethiopian National Defense Force announced. Head of Indoctrination Department at the Ethiopian National Defense Force, Maj.-Gen Mohammed Tessema said the arrested military officials were leading the war waged by the TPLF clique and fighting against the national army alongside with the Junta forces from Mekelle to Qola Tenbein fronts. The Indoctrination Head explained that the defectors have been captured in close manhunt and raid undertaken by joint forces of National Defence Force and Federal Police. Out of the total military officers, nine are full Colonels while the remaining seven are Major Generals and two others commanders of Police. Major General Mohammed further called up on forces that are still in allegiance with the TPLF Junta to peacefully surrender to the federal forces. The people have been continuing support to federal forces in the search for culprits of TPLF Junta. It is to be recalled that top military officials who were in allegiance to the Junta including General Mohammed Isha have so far surrendered to the government forces. ⚫ Expulsion Of TPLF Junta Mortifies Those Who Won’t See Unified Ethiopia: Somali Deputy President - Fana Deputy President of Somali Regional state, Mustafa Mohoumed Omer said the expulsion of the TPLF Junta is embarrassing those who won’t to see unified Ethiopia. There were elements who were calculating their political gain through instigation of communal violence among peoples of Ethiopia, he said, adding that these forces have been now embarrassed with what happened to the TPLF Junta. Deputy President of Somali region stressed that TPLF Junta was mastermind of atrocious forces that were trying to destabilize Ethiopia though their malicious deeds. Saying that there are elements who are upset with riddance to the TPLF Junta, Mustafa said Ethiopians should not allow malicious thoughts against national unity to resurrect. Prevailing calm in the Somali region clearly indicates how the people of the region honor the value of peace, the deputy president noted. ⚫ DPM, FMoE Demeke Mekonnen confers with EU Ambassadors and representatives of European countries – Walta Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia met today with EU Ambassadors and representatives of European countries to discuss issues of mutual concern. On the occasion, Demeke delivered a detailed briefing on the humanitarian assistance efforts that the government and pertinent bodies are undertaking in the Tigray region. In this regard, he said food and non-food items, including pharmaceuticals, are being delivered to people in Tigray identifying their needs and facilitating the delivery through the 92 distribution centers. He said various government agencies, international humanitarian organizations, and aid agencies are collaborating well in rendering humanitarian relief services in the region. Telecom, banking, electric power supply, and other basic services have been reactivated and resumed functioning coupled with the government’s efforts to rehabilitate and rebuild destroyed infrastructures Demeke said. He said the interim administration of the region is also functioning well and is undertaking its normal duties in all areas of the region with close consultation and collaboration with the federal government. Regarding the allegations of human rights abuses, Demeke reiterated the government’s commitment to probing into the issue. The Deputy Prime Minister also addressed the ambassadors’ concerns on the upcoming general election in the country and other regional issues. The ambassadors appreciated Demeke for addressing their concerns. The meeting ended with an agreement to work closely and continue engagements. ⚫ Former PM Delivers Special Message from PM Abiy to Kenyan President – Fana Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has delivered a special message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. Hailemariam, who is also a Special Envoy of PM Abiy, briefed the President on the current situations in Ethiopia, including the latest development in Tigray region. President Kenyatta welcomed the measures being taken by the Ethiopian Government in addressing the humanitarian situation in the region. The former Premier was accompanied by Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Redwan Hussein, and Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Meles Alem. The meeting was also attended by Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Raychelle Omamo. ⚫ Saudi Arabia offers border crisis mediation between Sudan, Ethiopia - Middle East monitor A high-level Sudanese delegation headed by Sovereignty Council member Mohamed Al- Faki Suleiman on Wednesday began a one-day official visit to Saudi Arabia to discuss the border crisis with Ethiopia. Sudanese newspaper Al-Taghyeer reported: "A member of the Sovereignty Council will give the Saudi leadership a briefing on the situation in Sudan, especially on the Sudanese-Ethiopian borders dispute and relations with Ethiopia," noting that Suleiman is accompanied by the Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments Nasreddin Mufreh and Director of the General Intelligence Service General Jamal Abdul Majeed. Relations between Sudan and Ethiopia have been tense in recent weeks due to armed attacks on the borders between the two countries, which Khartoum accuses Ethiopian militias of launching. Addis Ababa denied the accusations, asserting that it is closely following the aggression initiated by local armed groups on the Ethiopian-Sudanese border. Spokesperson for the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dina Mufti announced on Tuesday that his country is committed to reaching a peaceful solution to the crisis, but wants Sudan to withdraw, stressing that: "Our precondition to enter negotiations is Sudan's retreat to the lands it has been controlling previously," reported the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA). Mufti praised the initiative of the involved parties wishing to settle the conflict with Sudan, emphasising that Addis Ababa: "Is always ready to settle border issues through the conventional mechanisms, which have already been planned." The Sudanese Sovereignty Council disclosed in a statement: "The deployment of our armed forces in the border area is standard procedure," adding that "Sudan does not wish to