China has officially launched the China Chamber of Commerce to Africa (CCCA) in Addis Ababa, marking a significant step in deepening Sino-African economic ties and highlighting a stark contrast to the United States’ increasing reliance on tariffs in global trade policy.

The inauguration ceremony, held on April 28, brought together high-level officials, business leaders, and diplomats from across Africa and China. The event underscored China’s commitment to fostering economic partnership with Africa based on principles of coordination, open markets, and free trade.

Hu Changchun, Head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union, emphasized that the CCCA will serve as a vital bridge between Chinese and African markets, facilitating dialogue, investment, and shared prosperity. “The founding of the chamber will create better synergies for China-Africa economic cooperation, and enable our friendship to grow even stronger,” Hu said, highlighting the chamber’s mission to mobilize resources and build an ecosystem for common prosperity.

The CCCA launches with 15 founding members representing key sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, energy, and healthcare, with plans to expand membership across both traditional and emerging industries.

Speakers at the event drew attention to the differences between China’s approach to Africa and the current U.S. stance on trade. Moussa Mohamed Omar, Deputy Chief of Staff of the African Union Commission, praised China’s consistent support for free trade and bilateral cooperation, contrasting it with what he described as the U.S.’s “misuse of tariffs” and protectionist measures. China’s recent move to exempt imports from 33 least-developed African countries from tariffs was highlighted as a concrete example of its commitment to open markets and mutual benefit.

Chinese companies have played a significant role in Africa’s development over the past decade, constructing approximately 100,000 kilometers of roads, 10,000 kilometers of railways, and 1,000 bridges, while generating over one million jobs across the continent. These infrastructure projects have improved logistics, strengthened regional value chains, and raised living standards in numerous African countries.

Wu Jiuyi, Secretary-General of the CCCA and Deputy General Manager of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation’s Ethiopian branch, reiterated the chamber’s vision to foster partnership and promote shared prosperity. “Today’s Africa is a land of boundless opportunities, and China stands as its most steadfast partner,” Wu said, inviting more Chinese enterprises to join the chamber and work with African partners to “write a new chapter in China-Africa friendship”.

The CCCA has pledged to conduct in-depth market research and provide tailored support to its members on regulatory issues, taxation, labor policies, and real-time market data. With strong backing from both Chinese and African stakeholders, the chamber is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Sino-African economic relations.

As journalists and media advocates worldwide prepare to mark World Press Freedom Day tomorrow, the Ethiopian Media Council (EMC) and UNESCO have issued urgent warnings about the growing risks artificial intelligence poses to press freedom, information accuracy, and the future of independent journalism.

This year’s commemoration, themed “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” focuses on the profound influence of AI technologies on journalism and media ecosystems globally.

“As World Press Freedom Day is celebrated, it should emphasize that citizens have access to accurate information, not be fooled by artificial intelligence-produced data,” said Amare Aregawi, Chairperson of the Ethiopian Media Council, highlighting the organization’s commitment to fostering an ethical and accountable media environment in Ethiopia.

The EMC, which oversees a regulatory system encompassing more than 100 media institutions, stressed the importance of maintaining journalistic standards in an era of rapidly evolving AI technologies.

Dr. Rita Bissoonauth, Director of UNESCO’s Liaison Office to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa and Representative to Ethiopia, echoed these concerns while acknowledging AI’s transformative potential.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer a far-fetched concept. It’s already embedded in our newsrooms, and it’s shaping how stories are told, how audiences are engaged, and how narratives are formed,” Bissoonauth noted.

While AI offers significant benefits-including real-time language translation, data-driven storytelling, and improved fact-checking capabilities-both organizations warned of serious risks, particularly the proliferation of sophisticated deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.

UNESCO highlighted that unregulated AI systems could become tools for censorship and surveillance, especially threatening journalists working in challenging environments. The organization also raised concerns about AI-driven online harassment disproportionately targeting female journalists, “exacerbating existing inequalities and suppressing voices that need to be heard,” according to Bissoonauth.

In response to these challenges, UNESCO is developing international guidelines on digital platform governance and advancing recommendations on AI ethics adopted by its 193 member states. The organization is also expanding media literacy programs globally to help citizens navigate the changing information landscape.

In Ethiopia specifically, UNESCO is partnering with institutions like the EMC to increase media diversity, improve journalism education, and strengthen freedom of expression as foundations for peace and sustainable development.

Both organizations called for coordinated international efforts to promote ethical AI use in media, including responsible deployment of AI tools, transparency in AI-generated content, maintaining editorial standards, and building audience trust. They emphasized the need for newsroom guidelines on AI use and enhanced media literacy to help citizens critically evaluate information and detect falsehoods.

The joint statement also stressed the importance of protecting journalists from AI-driven digital threats through collaboration with civil society, governments, and international partners, aiming to build a human rights-based media ecosystem where technology strengthens rather than undermines journalism.

World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following the landmark Windhoek Declaration by African journalists. The day serves as a reminder to governments of their commitment to press freedom and as an opportunity for media professionals to reflect on issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

The Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) has issued an urgent call to the government to address the rapidly rising cost of living, warning that the deteriorating purchasing power of the birr is severely impacting the livelihoods of millions of workers, particularly in the public sector.

CETU’s appeal comes amid persistent inflationary pressures, despite recent data showing a decline in Ethiopia’s annual inflation rate to 13.6% in March 2025 from highs of nearly 30% last year. The union argues that the government’s move to liberalize the foreign exchange market in July 2024, while intended to stabilize the economy, has contributed to the weakening of the birr and pushed the cost of essential goods and services to “intolerable” levels.

Among CETU’s top demands is an urgent revision of the outdated income tax brackets. “Many years ago, workers earning 600 birr or less were exempt from income tax, but high inflation has rendered this threshold meaningless,” the confederation stated. CETU is calling for a significant increase in the minimum tax-exempt monthly wage to reflect current inflation, as well as an upward adjustment of the 35% income tax bracket, which currently applies to salaries of 10,900 birr and above.

The union also criticized the long-standing delay in establishing a national wage board, as mandated by Ethiopia’s Employment Proclamation. CETU President Kassahun Folo emphasized that, despite its inclusion in the government’s joint work plan for 2024/25, no tangible progress has been made. “Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, we insist that the regulation be enacted without delay and that the Wage Board be established immediately,” CETU said.

CETU further urged the government to take firm legal action against employers who refuse to recognize unions or engage in practices such as unlawful dismissal, harassment, or the forced relocation of union leaders. The confederation condemned recent reductions in supplementary payments to already inadequate salaries, warning that such cuts would only worsen workers’ financial hardships.

The union also highlighted ongoing challenges to collective bargaining, including employers’ refusal to engage in negotiations or comply with agreements, and reported cases of retaliation against union leaders advocating for employee rights.

Despite recent improvements, inflation remains a pressing concern for Ethiopian workers. The Consumer Price Index rose by 2.7% in March 2025, and food inflation remains elevated at nearly 12%. While the National Bank of Ethiopia has credited tighter monetary policy and supply-side measures for the recent slowdown in inflation, the cost of living continues to outpace wage growth for many households.

CETU argues that low wages and high tax burdens are preventing workers from meeting basic needs. “The living conditions of millions of Ethiopian workers remain of great concern. Inflation continues to erode the purchasing power of wages, and a national minimum wage floor to protect low-income workers remains undetermined,” said Kassahun.

In a previous meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, CETU raised key personnel and wage issues, with the Prime Minister instructing relevant ministries to address the concerns. However, the union says that while some progress has been made, many fundamental questions remain unanswered.

CETU maintains that its demands are in line with international standards and practices in comparable African countries, and insists that every Ethiopian has the right to an adequate standard of living, fair wages, and access to health care.

The Ethiopian government has announced an updated timeline for finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with G20 countries, aimed at restructuring debt repayments that account for nearly a third of its total external debt. The government has also committed to expediting negotiations with international bondholders.

Ethiopia was one of the first nations to seek debt relief under the G20 Common Framework in early 2021; however, the restructuring process has faced significant delays. Progress was made last month when Ethiopia reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) with its creditor nations.

This agreement is expected to be formalized through individual MoUs with the lending countries.

Although Ethiopian officials recently indicated that the MoU would be signed “very soon” during the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR)—co-chaired by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and G20 co-chair South Africa—they have stated that the MoU will be finalized by June 2025.

Once signed, this agreement will facilitate the restructuring of Ethiopia’s USD 8.4 billion debt.

During the GSDR meeting at the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, State Minister of Finance Eyob Tekalign acknowledged the lengthy timeline but emphasized the effectiveness of the Common Framework, referencing successful debt restructurings in Zambia and Ghana.

He also stressed the importance of transparency by publicly disclosing the terms of debt treatment agreements once an AIP is reached between a borrowing country and its Official Creditors’ Committee.

Furthermore, Eyob called for a more streamlined process to expedite the transition from the AIP to finalized bilateral agreements with creditor nations.

To minimize further delays, he suggested establishing a quicker and more efficient pathway for signing MoUs and subsequent bilateral deals.

The Ethiopian diplomatic mission in Washington, DC, emphasized the need for greater efficiency in the debt restructuring process during these discussions.

In related developments, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide met with private bondholders to discuss Ethiopia’s debt treatment.

It has been a decade since the government issued a USD 1 billion Eurobond that was due for full repayment by the end of last year.

Both sides agreed to continue negotiations as Ethiopia seeks debt relief from both official creditors and private bondholders.

According to Ethiopia’s diplomatic mission in Washington, D.C., the meeting focused on the country’s debt restructuring progress under the G20 Common Framework, following an agreement in principle reached with Ethiopia’s Official Creditors Committee in March 2025.

Ethiopia is currently negotiating with international creditors, primarily G20 nations and private bondholders. While discussions with official creditors are progressing well, talks with bondholders remain unresolved.

In February, Ethiopia’s Eurobond holders accused the IMF of exaggerating the country’s financial challenges to advocate for deeper debt relief, including potential haircuts. They argued that Ethiopia’s economy is recovering, particularly in key sectors like coffee exports, and criticized the IMF’s analysis as flawed, alleging it artificially depicts a solvency crisis.

A delegation led by Finance Minister Ahmed, who attended last week’s World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings, had constructive discussions with Eurobond holders, according to the diplomatic mission statement. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue to ensure a smooth and timely debt restructuring process.

A memorandum of understanding with G20 creditors is expected to be signed in June, paving the way for the restructuring of over USD 8 billion in debt.