Hello, I’m Salem Solomon.

I’m a digital, multimedia journalist with the Voice of America’s Africa Division, where I cover the latest news from across the continent.

I report and edit in English, Amharic and Tigrigna, and my work has appeared in The New York Times, Poynter.org, Reuters, The Tampa Bay Times and The Washington Post. I also produce data-driven multimedia stories and research trends in analytics and digital journalism.

I invite you to check out my stories, multimedia projects, media appearances and résumé.

Recent Stories

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 05:24

Guinean President Visits US, Faces Term Limit Questions

Condé faces questions over efforts to amend the constitution and stay in power for a third term

Wed, 09/18/2019 - 11:56

Rights Groups Urge Release of Journalists in Eritrea, Years After Disappearances

Aaron Berhane, a former editor-in-chief and cofounder of Setit, once Eritrea's largest independent newspaper, highlights the plight of colleagues who disappeared after being detained

Thu, 09/12/2019 - 10:37

Ethiopian Military Captures Suspected IS Members

But Gen. Berhanu Jula, deputy chief of staff and director of military operations in the Ethiopian Armed Forces, downplays IS threat

Fri, 09/06/2019 - 16:11

After a Week of Xenophobic Attacks, South Africa Grapples for Answers

Roots of the anger against foreigners are difficult to pin down; they make up about 7% of the population, but some politicians and officials have amplified the belief that foreigners own an outsized share of businesses in the country

Sun, 09/01/2019 - 12:58

Zimbabwean Woman Honored with Statue in New York

A Zimbabwean humanitarian and scholar honored with a statue in New York. She is one of 'Statues For Equality' created by sculptors Gillie and Marc Schattner

Wed, 08/28/2019 - 05:11

Women In Power Give Minorities a Voice in New Sudan

Two women have been sworn in the sovereign council of the new leadership of Sudan as the country paves the way for a hopeful future without its long time leader Omar Al-Bashir

Wed, 08/28/2019 - 02:43

New DRC Cabinet Prompts Accusations that Kabila’s Regime Still Holds Power

Opposition members of the DRC warned that the new cabinet formed by President Felix Tshisekedi is an extension of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila

Thu, 08/22/2019 - 08:40

Are DRC, Mozambique Insurgencies a Real IS Threat?

As terror groups in southern and central Africa commit deadly attacks and pledge allegiance to Islamic State, experts try to determine how big a threat they pose to the region and the wider world

Fri, 08/16/2019 - 17:24

Nigerian Sheikh Abruptly Returns Home from Medical Trip to India

Ibrahim El-Zakzaky was released from four years' detention for trip

Tue, 08/13/2019 - 13:00

Uganda Internet Registration Stirs Free Speech Concerns

Uganda expands its enforcement of a year-old social media regulation, levying the fee on news organizations and social media influencers with large followings

Media Appearances

I make frequent appearances on TV, radio and web shows to discuss events unfolding across Africa. My comments have appeared on VOA broadcasts, Al Jazeera and Newsy.

Watch My Appearances

Essays & Analysis

The New York Times Magazine

‘They’re Going to Come for Us’: A Teenage Girl Caught in a War’s Riptides

My father knew we were next. “They’re going to come for us,” he’d say, after Meles Zenawi, then the prime minister of Ethiopia, told the country on national television in July 1998 that Eritreans weren’t welcome.

Columbia Journalism Review

The 'North Korea of Africa'? Not so fast.

For years, news outlets in Europe and North America have aimed to cover African places and people in terms familiar to their audiences.

Foreign Policy

Life in Eritrea’s News Desert

What the country teaches the world about the importance of an independent press.

Washington Post

No, al-Shabab is not deadlier than Boko Haram. Here are better numbers.

For years, Boko Haram has carried the dubious distinction of being Africa’s deadliest terrorist group.

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