AU calls on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint
Ethiopia and Egypt expel diplomats from each other, Eritrea announces severing diplomatic relations
Quick Look
- On October 1, local time, the African Union Commission called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint.
- Previously, Ethiopia and Egypt expelled diplomats from each other, and Eritrea announced that it would sever diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.
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Why It Matters
The African Union has called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint after the expulsion of diplomats and the severance of diplomatic relations between the three countries led to regional tensions.
China News Service, Beijing, October 2. Addis Ababa News: On October 1, local time, the African Union Commission called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise maximum restraint and avoid taking any actions or remarks that may aggravate tensions or undermine regional peace and stability.
The African Union Commission issued a statement on the evening of the 1st, urging Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt to resolve their differences through established diplomatic channels and peaceful dialogue.
According to reports from the Ethiopian News Agency and the Egyptian Middle East News Agency, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified the Egyptian Embassy in Ethiopia on the 1st that an Egyptian diplomat has been declared an "undesirable person" and asked to leave the country within 48 hours. Afterwards, Egypt declared a counselor of the Ethiopian Embassy in Egypt as an "undesirable person" on the same day based on the "principle of reciprocity" and required him to leave the country within 48 hours.
The Middle East News Agency quoted a senior Egyptian official as saying that Ethiopia's request for Egyptian diplomats to leave the country was "regrettable" and pointed out that "Ethiopia has repeatedly blamed external forces for its successive domestic crises and poor management of domestic affairs."
On the same day, Eritrea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it was severing all diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. Previously, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement announcing the closure of its embassy in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, and classified 10 Eritrean diplomats in Ethiopia as "undesirable persons" and required them to leave the country within 48 hours.
Open Questions
- Will tensions among the three countries escalate further?
- Can the African Union's diplomatic mediation achieve substantial results?
