Internet and voice services have been restored in several areas of the Oromo region in Ethiopia, the government announced earlier today, March 31, 2020. This ended the blockade of telecom services which started since 7 January in the Kellem Wellega, West Oromia, West Wellega and Horo Gudru Wellega zones due to the unrest in the areas, a total of 83 days blackout.

The unblocking of the situation in the Oromo region comes a day after the appeal to the Ethiopian government by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) on 29 March 2020.

Amid a global coronavirus crisis, the UN office called on Ethiopia to facilitate access to information via the Internet in the Oromo region. The information includes hygiene measures, latest updates from the World Health Organization, government provisions, etc. to help control the spread of the virus in the country. In a statement broadcast on the private television channel Fana Broadcasting Corporate, Shimelis Abdisa (pictured), the vice-president of the Oromia region, said that the restoration of access to telecom services follows the improvement of peace in western Oromia.