Middle East crisis dampens Ethopia's Easter mood amid fuel scarcity, high cost of basic commodities

Описание: (10 Apr 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 10 April 2026
1. Various of worshippers arriving at Bole Medhanialem Church
2. Various of Orthodox Christians at church
3. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Yoseph Demeke, Deacon at Bole Medhanialem Church:
“Good Friday is a unique day that we Christians commemorate because it is the day our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was crucified for us, humans.”
4. Wide of Bole Medhanialem Church
5. Various of Orthodox Christians at Bole Medhanialem Church Good Friday service
6. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Yoseph Demeke, Deacon at Bole Medhanialem Church:
“Because Jesus Christ suffered for us, we think about love, caring, and unity when we mark the day. The other important thing is forgiveness.”
7. Wide of gas station with no fuel available
8. Various of long fuel queues
9. Various of Tefera Aragaw, a minibus taxi driver, waiting for days in a queue to get fuel
10. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Tefera Aragaw, minibus taxi driver:
“The queue is what you see. We have been waiting for three days, and we spent the night here. There is also a possibility that we may not be able to get fuel at all. They (gas stations) sometimes say the fuel they brought has already been depleted. The current situation is truly terrible.”
11. Various of long fuel queues
12. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Tefera Aragaw, minibus taxi driver:
“Above all, what we need is peace. If there were stability in the Middle East we would be able to enjoy peace as well. However, the ongoing instability in the region is causing us serious difficulties.”
13. Various of livestock market in Shegole area, Addis Ababa
14. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Samuel Teshome, Resident of Addis Ababa:
“The price (of goats and sheep) has risen this year due to the fuel shortage. Previously, they were sold for 35,000 birr to 40,000 but now that has risen to 65,000 birr.”
15. Various of market
16. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Sirawdink Admasu, Resident of Addis Ababa:
“Previously, the highest price of a cock was 1,500 birr, but now it has reached 2,500 birr. It has doubled. The reason they tell you why is that fuel costs to transport them from rural areas to the capital have increased."
17. Pan of market
STORYLINE:
As millions of Ethiopians marked Good Friday in the capital, Addis Ababa on Friday, many were continuing to suffer the impacts of the Middle East crisis, which has sparked chronic fuel shortages and rising costs of basic commodities.

This year’s celebration has become a subdued and less glamorous affair as a result, in which Christians across the country honor the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ ahead of Fasika, Ethiopia’s Easter holiday celebration on Sunday.

The day comes ahead of the end of a 55-day fasting (Abiy Tsome) that is characterized by open prayers by many donning white traditional attire in churches, followed by a festive vigil when parishioners seek forgiveness and peace at home and abroad to be celebrated on Easter Sunday.

The slaughtering of animals, which is a traditional communal ritual, has suddenly become elusive for many Ethiopian Christians.

Samuel Teshome says he is contemplating on what to purchase as the price of sheep has almost doubled since last year.

“The price of sheep has almost doubled and purchasing such delicacies has suddenly become out of reach for me and my family”, Teshome told The Associated Press.


Tefera Aragaw, a minibus taxi driver says that the long wait for fuel at the gas station has meant a disruption of his income and he anticipates a subdued celebration this year.





AP video by Amanuel Gebremedhin Birhane



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