Amir Aman Kiyaro
Published on 17 June 2026
I have always been a curious person. As a child, I liked observing what people were doing. I asked lots of questions. And, I liked telling others about what I had observed. I was also involved in school media clubs from an early age, and spent several years working on children’s radio and television programs. As I grew older, journalism became more than a profession I was interested in. In the Ethiopian context, it felt like a way to stand against injustice and tell stories of those who are often unheard.
I later studied Broadcast Journalism in Ethiopia and completed an MA in Global Journalism in Norway. I have since worked mainly with international media, particularly the Associated Press and Channel 4 News. I often reported on the complex and volatile situation in Ethiopia. Most of my reporting covered the activities of armed movements that challenged the government. Notable examples of my work include a report from Tigray, where I covered the Tigrayan forces’ retaking of the regional capital. At a time when it was exceptionally difficult to get news from the region, I was reporting on events as they unfolded. I have also documented how war and conflicts affected civilians across Ethiopia. There were times, I reached places shortly after fighting had stopped, with many bodies still unburied.
Journalism has taken me through very different experiences. It has given me the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and help tell their stories. My work has been recognised internationally, including with the AP Gramling Award, something I am grateful for. But journalism has also come at a cost. I spent several months in jail because of my work. In 2024, with the support of the Hamburg Foundation for Politically Persecuted Persons, I came to Germany. Although I was forced into exile, I continued covering Ethiopia remotely, with a focus on civilians trapped between armed conflicts.
Germany has given me a new and safe home, and supportive people and organisations. The biggest challenges have been finding my footing in the German media landscape, the language barrier, and the limited attention that stories from East Africa often receive.
Looking ahead, I want to continue doing what I have always done: journalism. I am also interested in exploring other forms of storytelling. But more than anything, I want to stay curious, keep learning, and continue telling stories.
