Addis Abeba — The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) has renewed the reporting licenses of three Reuters journalists based in Ethiopia, ending a six-month suspension that followed the government's decision earlier this year not to renew their accreditation.
The Authority said the decision followed discussions between EMA Director General Haymanot Zeleke and Reuters Executive Editor Nick Tattersall and Africa Editor Silvia Aloisi.
Ethiopian travel guide According to a statement issued by EMA, Haymanot presented the Authority's media monitoring findings during the discussions and raised concerns over Reuters reports on Ethiopia published during the past seven months.
Discover moreMedia analysis reportsLocal NewsAddis Ababa real estate EMA said some of the reports "violated the country's laws, the Media Proclamation, and national interests" and failed to "comply" with professional journalistic ethics.
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Addis Ababa tourism The Authority further alleged that specific Reuters reports suffered from problems of "balance, accuracy, credibility, and objectivity" and were one-sided.
Haymanot told Reuters officials that the alleged shortcomings constituted violations of Ethiopia's media laws, the Media Proclamation, and professional journalistic ethics, according to the statement.
Media consulting services EMA said the two sides subsequently reached an understanding under which Reuters would make "the necessary corrections and adjustments" within the news organization.
Discover morepoliticsHistoryDemocratic transition resourcesMedia consulting servicesEthiopian travel guideEthiopian politics bookNewspaper advertising spaceTigray humanitarian aidDemographicsnews Reuters officials cited by EMA, maintained that the international news agency is an independent media organization that follows strict editorial guidelines designed to ensure its reporting is balanced, adequately sourced, and free from bias.
EMA further said the officials also "apologized" for what it described as "occasional errors" and assured the Authority that corrective measures would be taken.
The Reuters representatives further expressed what EMA described as "deep respect for Ethiopia," saying the country's population size and economic importance made it deserving of extensive international media coverage.
Ethiopian travel guide According to the Authority, Reuters also affirmed that it operates with respect for Ethiopian laws and seeks to cover the country's political, economic, and cultural realities.
EMA said the officials assured the Authority that Reuters journalists operating in Ethiopia would uphold professional ethics, understand Ethiopia's "national interests," and respect the country's position.
Current events newsletter At the conclusion of the discussions, EMA said it decided to renew the reporting licenses of Reuters' permanently accredited journalists in Ethiopia, whose credentials had been temporarily suspended over what the Authority described as legal and professional ethical violations.
The Authority called on relevant institutions to recognize the renewed licenses and provide the Reuters journalists with the necessary cooperation.
Media consulting services The decision reverses a six-month restriction imposed on the three Addis Abeba-based Reuters journalists amid heightened tensions between the Ethiopian government and the international news agency.
On 13 February, the Ethiopian government declined to renew the accreditation of the three Reuters journalists and withdrew the agency's accreditation to cover the 39th African Union Summit.
At the time, a Reuters spokesperson confirmed to Addis Standard that "the government of Ethiopia has withdrawn Reuters accreditation for the 39th African Union Summit as well as not renewing accreditation for Reuters three Addis Ababa-based journalists to work in the country."
Political analysis subscription Reuters said it was reviewing the decision but would continue covering Ethiopia "in an independent, impartial and reliable way in keeping with the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles."
The accreditation decision came days after Reuters published an investigation showing that Ethiopia hosted a training facility for fighters linked to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region near the Sudanese border.
Current events newsletter Citing diplomatic, security, and government sources, as well as satellite imagery analysis, Reuters said the site may have been used to train new RSF recruits amid Sudan's ongoing civil war.
The Reuters investigation, which the news agency said was based on interviews with 15 sources, also reported allegations that the United Arab Emirates financed construction of the facility and provided logistical support. The UAE foreign ministry denied involvement in the Sudan conflict.
Ethiopian authorities had not publicly responded to the allegations.
The restoration of Reuters' licenses comes against the backdrop of a broader crackdown by EMA against independent media organizations in Ethiopia over the Authority's use of its regulatory powers.
On 24 February 2026, less than two weeks after the Reuters journalists lost their accreditation, EMA said it revoked the voluntary online media registration certificate of independent news outlet Addis Standard.
The Authority accused Addis Standard of repeatedly publishing reports that compromised media ethics, violated Ethiopian laws, and endangered "national interests."
Online news portal However, the Authority did not publicly identify the specific articles or broadcasts that it said formed the basis for revoking the outlet's registration.
EMA also said that it had issued Addis Standard multiple warnings before taking the decision. The newsroom disputed the claim, saying it had not received formal notices or enforcement actions preceding the revocation.
The decision had immediate consequences for Addis Standard's journalists. Following the cancellation of the outlet's registration certificate, the National Election Board of Ethiopia subsequently denied election reporting accreditation to its journalists and camera crew.
Despite the revocation, Addis Standard has continued publishing, while its publisher, JAKENN Publishing PLC, launched a legal challenge against EMA's decision.
On 3 June, the publisher filed for judicial review and requested an injunction suspending the Authority's decision, arguing that the revocation process violated due process requirements under Ethiopia's Media Proclamation.
The legal challenge remains active. During a hearing on 24 June, the Federal High Court rejected EMA's initial defense submission on procedural grounds, ruling that it exceeded applicable page limits and ordering the Authority to submit a revised and more concise filing.
Ethiopian travel guide The dispute surrounding Addis Standard has drawn criticism from international press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Human Rights Watch, which have described the revocation as part of growing pressure on independent media in Ethiopia.
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The Reuters restrictions, the revocation of Addis Standard's registration certificate, and previous regulatory actions against other media organizations have intensified concerns about the operating environment for independent and international journalists in the country.
In October 2025, EMA temporarily suspended several journalists working for Deutsche Welle, citing alleged legal and professional violations. The German broadcaster protested the move and called for the suspensions to be lifted. Most of the journalists were later reinstated in December, although two remained permanently suspended.
EMA has also taken regulatory action against other independent media outlets, including Wazema Radio.
EMA's decision to restore the licenses of the three Reuters journalists marks a reversal of one of the most prominent recent restrictions imposed on foreign correspondents.
The Authority's statement, however, made clear that the renewal followed discussions in which EMA raised concerns about Reuters' coverage and alleged violations of Ethiopian law, the Media Proclamation, professional ethics, and what it described as the country's national interests.
Media consulting services The development highlights the continuing tension surrounding media regulation in Ethiopia, where questions over journalistic independence, professional standards, legal compliance, and the government's interpretation of "national interests" remain at the center of an increasingly contentious relationship between the state and independent media.
