The UN Security Council expressed alarm on Friday about the worsening civil war in Ethiopia after nine opposition groups announced an alliance and plans to bring down the government in Addis Ababa.
In a rare show of unity, the UN council expressed “deep concern about the expansion and intensification of military clashes in northern Ethiopia” and called for “national dialogue” to pull Ethiopia back from the brink of all-out conflict.
Members further called for a ceasefire, peace talks, an end to the use of “inflammatory hate speech” and for more aid to reach the millions of Ethiopians enduring widespread food shortages.
The 15-nation body released its first statement on Ethiopia hours after a newly formed alliance of Ethiopian opposition factions announced plans in Washington to bring down Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and form a transitional government.
The so-called United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces expands an existing agreement between the northern Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which has fought federal troops for a year, and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
Mahamud Ugas Muhumed, of the Somali State Resistance, and other members of the new alliance, described plans for a central command to co-ordinate military and political efforts between the nine groups, all of which have armed wings.
“The next step will be to organise ourselves and totally dismantle the existing government, either by force or by negotiation … then insert a transitional government,” Mr Muhumed said at the event in Washington.
The TPLF and the OLA say they have taken the towns of Kemise in Amhara state and say they could advance the further 325 kilometres to the capital.
The Ethiopian government has dismissed the alliance as a stunt and accused some members of past abuses. Still, Ethiopia’s army on Friday called on former personnel to re-enlist and fight, state media said.
Thousands have died, millions more have fled and a famine has been declared in the region as humanitarian agencies struggle to gain access.
The TPLF and the OLA, which Addis Ababa officially designated as terrorist groups in May, are well known, but the alliance's other seven members are obscure, said one diplomat following security matters.
“If they are really serious about taking up arms against the government, then it's potentially a real problem for the government,” the diplomat told AFP.
But, the diplomat said, “I don't know the majority of them, I don't know how many people they have, what resources they have.”
Mr Abiy's government has dismissed rebel claims of territorial gains, saying on Thursday that the TPLF was encircled and close to defeat.
The TPLF had said on Tuesday that its forces were closing in on the town of Mille, which would enable them to cut off the motorway linking neighbouring Djibouti to Addis Ababa.
On Friday, government spokesman Legesse Tulu rejected the claim, saying fighting was 80 kilometres from Mille.
He also said there was fighting at least 100km north of Shewa Robit, a town in the Amhara region that is on the A2 motorway, another road to Addis Ababa. That would put fighting about 57km south of Kombulcha, one of two towns that the TPLF said it captured last weekend.
African and western nations are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ethiopia.
“The conflict in Ethiopia must come to an end,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
Agencies contributed to this report
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The five pillars of Islam
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
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The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
