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, 05/22/2020 - 21:52

Report: Chinese Construction Projects Create Opportunity to Spy on African Leaders

New Heritage Foundation report examines Chinese projects in Africa as possible ‘vector’ for espionage

Sun, 05/17/2020 - 00:16

No ‘Miracle Cure’ for Coronavirus Until Clinical Trials Prove Madagascar’s Herbal Medicine

Scientists in Germany, US testing plant’s effectiveness

Fri, 05/08/2020 - 22:44

Animated Coronavirus Monster Has Kids Running for the Soap

Filmmaker wanted to make virus impact come alive for children and also empower them to prevent it

Wed, 05/06/2020 - 10:33

Animated Coronavirus Monster Sends Kids Running For Soap 

A 90-second Nigerian video, teaching children about the virus is having a global impact

Fri, 05/01/2020 - 13:51

WHO Adviser Asks US to Rethink Funding Suspension

Dr. Senait Fisseha says the world needs US leadership in the fight against the coronavirus and asked world leaders to remember 'we are all in this together'

Thu, 04/30/2020 - 05:28

As Militaries Enforce COVID Lockdowns, Experts Warn of Escalating Violence

The use of militaries to enforce quarantines in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is causing anxiety among some, particularly in African countries

Tue, 04/28/2020 - 19:00

Husband Grieves for Wife He Lost to COVID After She Gave Birth

The woman never got to see her newborn baby boy

Sat, 04/25/2020 - 02:42

'My Sorrow Is Deep and Bitter': Woman Dies of Coronavirus Shortly After Giving Birth

Ethiopian community in D.C. mourns the death of a new mother

Fri, 04/24/2020 - 15:28

As Militaries Enforce Coronavirus Quarantine, Experts Warn of Escalating Violence

South Africa orders the deployment of 73,000 soldiers in the fight against coronavirus while observers say the military without training for infectious disease control poses serious risks 

Thu, 04/16/2020 - 10:04

Africans Feel Targeted by China Over Coronavirus

African residents say they are being singled out for additional testing, quarantine and, in some cases, are being evicted from their homes

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.

Thanks for stopping by!