The Ethiopian government has announced the restoration of Internet and voice services in several areas of the Oromo region in Ethiopia. The announcement contained in a news report brings to an end the shutdown of Internet services commencing 7 January 2020 and lasting some 83 days in West Oromia region and surrounding areas due to the unrest in the region.

According to the report, the decision to restore the telecom services came a day after the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) appealed to the government of Ethiopia. Among other things, the appeal was anchored on the fact that amid the global coronavirus crises, citizens need the Internet and other telecom services in order to have access to valuable information that could help curb the spread of the pandemic.