Business

Ethiopia Unveils Landmark Shebele Resort in Push for Regional Tourism Hub

Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Shebele Resort in the Somali Region on Saturday, marking a major milestone in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s ambitious “Dine for Generation” (Gebeta Le Tewled) initiative. The ceremony, held in Jigjiga, was attended by Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, highlighting the project’s significance for regional diplomacy

January 31, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Culture

The Winners and Losers of Content Diplomacy: Inside IShowSpeed’s Africa Tour

The Digital Frontier of Content Diplomacy: A Comprehensive Analysis of the IShowSpeed Africa Tour (2025–2026) The “Speed Does Africa” tour, conducted between December 2025 and January 2026, represents a transformative moment in the evolution of digital media, real-life (IRL) streaming, and the global perception of the African continent. Led by Darren Jason Watkins Jr., known

January 28, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Investment Holdings Drives $250 Million Flagship Hotel Push in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia is accelerating a shift toward active ownership of state assets, placing hospitality and luxury hotels at the center of a broader strategy to unlock value from underutilized public land and infrastructure. In a recent presentation, Dr. Brook Taye, chief executive officer of Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), said the government is moving away from passive

January 22, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

MIDROC Investment Group Acquires Historic Wabi Shebele Hotel, Plans Marriott Autograph Collection Renovation

Addis Ababa — MIDROC Investment Group has acquired the historic Wabi Shebele Hotel, marking a major investment in Ethiopia’s hospitality sector ahead of the country’s selection to host the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32). Under the agreement, the hotel will undergo a comprehensive renovation and be repositioned as a Marriott Autograph Collection property,

January 21, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Culture

Bee’s Kitchen: A Thoughtfully Curated Newcomer Redefining Comfort Dining in Bole Medhanialem

Just two months after opening its doors, Bee’s Kitchen is already signaling that it is more than just another new restaurant in Addis Ababa. Located in Bole Medhanialem, along the road toward Moenco and Hayat Hospital, the restaurant sits in a lively corridor of the city—yet once inside, it offers a calm, welcoming pause from

December 23, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Culture

U.S. Suspends Diversity Green Card Lottery Following Deadly Shooting Incidents

The United States government has suspended its Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, following a recent series of violent incidents allegedly linked to a former beneficiary of the scheme. The decision was announced after a mass shooting at Brown University last week that left two people dead. The suspect, 48-year-old

December 19, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Culture

Arabica Coffee Hits Record High, Signaling Global Market Shifts

Arabica coffee prices have soared to unprecedented levels, marking a historic milestone in the global coffee market. According to data from ICE Futures, the December Arabica futures contract climbed 1.29% to USD 4.263 per pound, equivalent to approximately USD 9,398 per tonne. During the same trading session, the contract peaked at USD 4.349 per pound,

October 25, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Books

Why the Global Academy Is Turning to Ge’ez

The Classical Turn to Africa: Ge’ez Studies in the Global Academy For more than a century, “the classics” largely meant Greece and Rome. Latin and Greek formed the twin pillars of the Western humanities, while other ancient traditions were relegated to the margins—important, perhaps, but not foundational. That definition is changing. A genuine classical turn

September 17, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Culture

“Salam Leki Gondar”: When Art Meets Faith in Ethiopia’s Cultural Debate

Introduction Ethiopian singer Fikir Addis Neqatibeb recently found herself at the center of a social media storm after releasing her new single “Salam Leki Gondar.” The controversy arose from her use of the phrase “Salam Leki”—a Ge’ez expression most commonly recognized as the opening line of a prayer to the Virgin Mary (“Salam Leki O

September 1, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Culture

Who Told America That Ethiopia’s Sambusa Is an Appetizer?

The Question on the Menu At nearly every Ethiopian restaurant in the United States, the sambusa appears under “Appetizers.” This triangular pastry, filled with spiced lentils or minced meat, has become the near-universal first impression of Ethiopian cuisine in America. But why would a food often eaten casually with tea in Ethiopia take on such

September 1, 2025 • By Addis Insight