EMA Director General Meets with International News Agency Executives Following Earlier Regulatory Dispute and Press Freedom Condemnation
By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) announced the renewal of reporting licenses for three permanent Reuters news correspondents following a six-month suspension, concluding high-level consultations with executives from the international news agency.
According to official statements, EMA Director General Haymanot Zeleke met with Reuters Executive Editor Nick Tattersall and Africa Editor Silvia Aloisi. During the deliberations, the regulator presented media monitoring assessments indicating that several reports published by Reuters over the preceding seven months violated the Ethiopian media proclamation, national law, and journalistic ethics.
The Director General emphasized that recent coverage exhibited significant gaps in balance, accuracy, and objectivity. EMA stated that these observed legal and professional lapses necessitated formal regulatory corrections prior to restoring operational credentials.
In response, Reuters executives affirmed the agency’s commitment to independent, impartial reporting guided by strict editorial standards designed to ensure factual accuracy. They acknowledged occasional reporting errors, expressed regret, and confirmed that necessary corrective measures would be implemented.
Reuters representatives reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to providing comprehensive international coverage reflective of Ethiopia’s regional and economic significance. They pledged that future reporting would adhere to domestic laws, respect cultural and political contexts, and observe professional ethics.
Following the discussions, the Authority formally reinstated the reporting credentials of the three Addis Ababa-based Reuters correspondents and called on relevant government bodies to extend necessary operational cooperation.
The Ethiopian Media Authority declined to renew Reuters’ reporting licenses in the country in February 2026. At the time, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement condemning the move, stating, “The revocation of Reuters’ credentials is the latest in a troubling pattern of repressive regulatory action against international and independent press in Ethiopia.”
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