๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ by Teshome Beyene
Happy Ethiopian New Year!
In this edition, I have covered four topics from the week, each selected for its significance from among numerous developments worthy of discussion. I hope you will find them all informative and accurate.
A. Honoring the True Architects of the Grand Renaissance Dam
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is now fully complete. That alone brings a deep sense of relief and fulfillment. It is done โ and, so far, it has not provoked the kind of open hostility many once feared from expected quarters.
The inauguration itself was moderate and measured, not a moment of extravagant rejoicing. Yet what truly amazed me, as an observer, was how the public gave credit to those who most deserved it.ย Meles Zenawi and Simegnew Bekele were front and center in peopleโs minds, and many spoke up fiercely to defend their legacy.
Take Habtamu Ayalew, the well-known activist and media figure โ visibly beleaguered, almost furious, as he spoke about what he saw as attempts to usurp the credit of Meles Zenawi by the current prime minister. His call was clear: to rally people to safeguard the legacy of Meles.
And indeed, Ethiopians stood in unison โ not only behind the construction of this colossal project but also behind the two men who embodied its vision and drive: Meles Zenawi, the architect and strategist who conceived it, and Simegnew Bekele, the tireless implementer who pursued it with relentless commitment until his life was cut short under suspicious circumstances.
In this light, Daniel Kibretโs recent post comparing the damโs success to a football match โ where only the scorer deserves the glory most, not those who assisted โ felt cheap and misplaced. It was an attempt to give primacy to the current prime ministerโs role in a project he merely inherited, not initiated. Daniel is, of course, free to praise the prime minister in countless other ways if he so wishes. But to do so by diminishing the rightful legacy of Meles and Simegnew in this project is an unmistakable display of obsequiousness.
B. EFFORTโs Council Holds a Contentious Seventh Extraordinary Meeting Amid Judicial Injunction
EFFORTโs Council is currently holding its seventh extraordinary (and reportedly urgent) meeting, expected to conclude tomorrow.
Back in the third week of July 2025, aย Courtย in Tigray issued an order banning any further assembly meetings of EFFORT until further noticeโeffectively blocking an attempt by the current TPLF leadership to take control of the conglomerate.
Despite that injunction, General Tadesse Werede later appeared at an assembly gathering held in defiance of the court order. In my earlier blog post and elsewhere, this move was widely critiqued as showing disregard for the authority of the law and the judiciary.
Now, seven weeks later, the assembly has been convened once againโapparently while the courtโs injunction is still in force and while former EFFORT officials, including Tewodros Hagos and Tsegay Berhe, continue to protest against the procedures being pushed by the new TPLF leadership.
This raises a pressing question: what will the court doโor attempt to doโin the face of this open defiance of its injunction? The unfolding events have become a real test of the judiciaryโs authority. A question is hanging in the airโand how it is answered will carry consequences well beyond EFFORT itself.
C. The U.S. Continues the National Emergency on Ethiopia
This week, Donald Trump formally renewed theย โNational Emergency with Respect to Ethiopia,โย a legal framework first declared in September 2021 at the height of the war in Tigray โ a war many in Tigray and beyond rightly call genocidal. Under U.S. law, when a president declares a national emergency, it unlocks special powers to impose sanctions such as asset freezes, visa bans, and trade restrictions on individuals or entities deemed responsible for serious human rights violations or threats to international peace. Executive Order 14046 โ the order at issue โ specifically targeted actors fueling the humanitarian catastrophe and atrocities committed during the Tigray conflict.
National emergencies under the U.S. system automatically expire after one year unless the president actively renews them. Every September since 2021, successive U.S. presidents โ first Biden, now Trump โ have signed notices extending this emergency, signaling that Washington continues to see the situation that gave rise to it as unresolved and threatening to international stability.
Renewal does not mean new sanctions are imposed each year; it simply keeps the legal mechanism alive so that the U.S. can maintain or add targeted sanctions if conditions deteriorate or if new perpetrators emerge. In other words, it is a signal of continued concern, not a fresh punitive campaign.
For people in Tigray, this renewal is a subtle but meaningful sign that the U.S. has not erased the atrocities of the war from its diplomatic memory. It means individuals or entities implicated in human rights abuses, obstruction of humanitarian aid, or actions that threaten the fragile peace could still face U.S. sanctions. For Ethiopia as a whole, it serves as a reminder that the post-war order remains under international scrutiny and that normalization with global partners depends on credible accountability, reconciliation, and stability.
The renewal does not declare war on Ethiopia, nor does it punish the Ethiopian economy broadly โ but it does keep the spotlight on justice and peace in Tigray.
D. Remembering Gebretsadik Woldeyohannes: The Timeless Genius of Tigrigna Music
ย
The genius of Tigrigna music, Gebretsadik Woldeyohannes, who passed away under unclear circumstances in 1980 at a young age of 27, was remembered this week โ perhaps for the first time in a long while. Kaleb Band and Tamrat Berhane paid tribute to him by performing one of his all-time classics,ย โShe is Gorgeous More Than You Can Describeโย (แฝแฅแแฒ แฅแซ แซแฅ แแ แ แแแแ). The audience was visibly moved, with many appearing on the verge of tears, while his younger brother, who is a singer too, attended and conveyed his grief through subtle expressions.
Gebretsadikโs brief yet resonant career began in Asmara in the early 1970s with the Police Orchestra, where he played the traditional one-string instrument,ย chira, and sang love songs in a relaxed, sonorous style that stayed with listeners long after the music ended. In late 1976, he joined the TPLF and became part of its musical troupe, producing monumental songs that captivated both young and old. Likely due to internal crises within the TPLF, he left the organization at the end of 1978, returning to the city and surrendering himself. He continued performing with the government cultural troupe, quickly gaining a large following and leaving a remarkable impact with his unique style.
He is especially remembered for his virtuosity on theย chira, with many musicians since emulating his technique and style. His small-sizedย chiraย became his signature instrument, instantly recognizable to listeners.
Rest in peace, artist Gebretsadik.
Special thanks to Kaleb Band, Tigray TV, and Tamrat Berhane for honoring his legacy and introducing his music to a new generation.