Ethiopia, in a landmark move to enhance its business environment and institutionalize a data-driven approach to policymaking, officially launched its new Electronic Public-Private Dialogue (E-PPD) platform. The launch event, held on August 26, 2025, at the Haile Grand Hotel in Addis Ababa, marks a significant step toward fostering transparent, inclusive, and effective partnerships between the public and private sectors.

The E-PPD platform, a flagship initiative of the Business Environment and Investment Climate (BEIC) project, is a strategic collaboration between the Government of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA), and key development partners. Funded by the European Union and implemented by GIZ, the platform aims to provide a structured and digitalized approach to addressing critical policy and business environment challenges, ensuring that regulations are practical, transparent, and widely accepted by all stakeholders.

“For too long, the dialogue between the government and the private sector has been limited by traditional, often inefficient, methods,” said Dr. Abdulhakim Mulu, State Minister, Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI). “This E-PPD platform is transformative. It leverages technology to create a dynamic, real-time feedback loop that will allow us to co-design solutions to challenges in the business environment, ultimately leading to more responsive and effective policies that foster sustainable economic growth”.

Spotlight Communications and Marketing has become the first Ethiopian agency to win at the prestigious African Marketing Confederation (AMC) Awards, earning continental recognition for landmark campaigns created with Safaricom Ethiopia and the Ethiopian National Blood Bank in partnership with Abbott.

Safaricom Ethiopia’s One Move Away campaign won the Silver Award for Most Effective Campaign, while the Ethiopian National Blood Bank and Abbott’s Incredible Generation campaign received the Bronze Award for Best Non-Profit/Public Sector Campaign.

“These victories are a testament to the vision of our clients,” said Selam Birhanu, CEO of Spotlight Ethiopia. “Safaricom, Abbott, and the Ethiopian Blood Bank showed extraordinary leadership- we are proud to have brought their ideas to life and to bring these honors home to Ethiopia. That’s why we believe Spotlight is the ROI agency for brands”

Twenty-eight grade 11 students – half of them girls – participated in the third edition of the STEM School in Ethiopia, an intensive training program developed by Ethiopian Airlines, Boeing [NYSE: BA], and ThinkYoung to empower Ethiopian youth.

Held over six weeks at Ethiopian Aviation University, the program provided more than 300 hours of immersive training, combining classroom learning with internship, career talks, and field visits to aviation facilities. The initiative supports young people from all regions of Ethiopia, igniting their interest in higher education and preparing them for future careers in aviation, engineering and technology.

The students learned digital skills such as coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence, while also developing soft skills including teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Hosted by Africa’s largest airline, the program capitalized on Ethiopian Airlines’ operational expertise, offering exclusive access to its cargo, maintenance, repair and overhaul and other facilities for hands-on learning.

Residents of South Sudan’s capital threatened to sue the government on Wednesday, accusing it of failing to provide basic services in their neighborhoods for many years…A letter of intent to sue is a formal notice a plaintiff serves to a defendant or its representatives, warning of impending legal action if concerns are not addressed. “We are intending to sue the National Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the National Road Authority, and the Juba City Council. The reason is that they failed to deliver services to citizens in the areas of Hai Referendum, Mia Saba, and Gudele,” he said. He added that the justice minister, as the government’s attorney general, must be given legal notice before a lawsuit against a government institution can proceed…The lawyer said the legal threat was a wake-up call and that the group hopes to resolve the concerns out of court. “In these affected areas, roads are cut off, there are no health facilities, schools are not accessible, and people cannot move to the town,” Majok said. He expects the Justice Ministry to convene a discussion with the accused institutions…Majok stated that every citizen has a right to basic services and that if the issue is not addressed, they will proceed with the lawsuit and may expand the case to include other affected areas. Radio Tamazuj