The share of Military related expenditure has decreased to 1.42% of GDP in 2009, though the nominal size(not adjusted for inflation) increased to 4.7 Billion Ethiopian Billion Ethiopian Birr.
Similarly, according to the recent available data, the active military personnel count 0.36% of the total labor force. The size of the Army has also decreased to pre Ethio-Eritrean war times.

Lidetu Ayalew, President of Ethiopian Democrats Party, takes on Birhanu Nega(PhD), the Chairman of Ginbot 7, in an interview hosted at aned-ethiopia radio on Nov. 20/2010.
[LISTEN HERE] or [DOWNLOAD HERE]

Since Oct. 5/2010, PM Meles Zenaiw appointed 30 Ministers(including 10 Ministers without Portfolio), 49 State Ministers(including Prof. Tekalegn Mammo Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture with the rank of a State Minister ), 36 Especial envoys, Ambassadors plenipotentiary and Ambassadors, and 1 Commissioner (Sport Commissioner Abagisa).

The public media outlets reported all the previous appointments, as they were immediately notified by a letter from the PM Office.

But not this time.

The Ethiopian government disparaged the EU Observers final report on Tuesday. The press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the report ‘as flawed as the preliminary statement issued by the Mission at the close of the elections in Ethiopia on 25 May 2010.’

[Use the link at the bottom to download the full report in English or Amharic]

EU Observers released their final report on Ethiopian election on Monday. Given the moderateness of the report, it is puzzling why the Ethiopian government refused to host the press conference to release the report, which was held in Brussels rather than in Addis Ababa.

BBC apologized today for its unfounded report that alleged millions of pounds raised for famine relief in Ethiopia had been used to buy arms. It took BBC 8 months to investigate and find out that its ‘investigative’ report is baseless.

It is to be recalled that in March 2010, and the subsequent days, BBC World Service broadcasted a report concerning the use of western aid for 1985 famine in Ethiopia.

The Prime Minister assigned Abay Tsehaye to a new post on Friday. Abay Tsehaye is to head the new giant sugar corporation as a Director-General, Minister with without Portfolio. Though, he is still serving as National Security Advisor to the PM.

The Development Assistance Group[DAG] rejected the allegations of Human Right Watch[HRW] on the Ethiopian government..

Ethiopian government ‘categorically rejected’ the allegations on the recent report of the Human Rights Watch,.

Human Right Watch released a 105-page report, titled ‘Development without Freedom: How Aid Underwrites Repression.