Qatari news network, Al Jazeera, has opened a regional office in Addis Ababa. The new office will provide in-depth analyses and documentaries about both Ethiopia and the international institutions based in the country, including the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Mohamed Taha Tewekel, Director of the newly launched office said “Ethiopia is developing rapidly in economic, political as well as cultural spheres. This means, the media network will have a lot to cover on its plate. That’s why we have decided to open our regional office here.”

Ethiopia’s Government Communication Affairs Office congratulated Aljazeera for taking the necessary steps to engage with Ethiopia.

Mohammed Seid, Public and Media Relation Director at GCAO, noted that “Ethiopia is going through multifaceted development in various areas including infrastructure, tourism and energy among others. Our country is full of stories able to draw the attention of the whole world,”

Unlikely friends

In the past, The Ethiopian government had accused the news channel of biased reporting. In 2006, one of Al Jazeera’s correspondents in the country was deported for a story that the Ethiopian government considered unbalanced. The action led to a diplomatic row where the Ethiopian government cut ties with Qatar. 

https://youtu.be/9foByiA2VKw

 

Al Jazeera was launched in 1996 and now broadcasts to more than 310 million households in over 100 countries.