Egypt and Eritrea Expel Ethiopian Diplomats Amid Regional Crisis
Egypt and Eritrea have severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia following accusations that Cairo and Asmara are backing armed groups during Ethiopia's internal conflict.
A diplomatic crisis has erupted in the Horn of Africa as Egypt and Eritrea expelled Ethiopian diplomats and closed embassies following accusations of foreign interference. The confrontation follows claims by the Ethiopian government that Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan are backing armed groups within Ethiopia. Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara, while Eritrea responded by cutting diplomatic ties and expelling Ethiopian officials.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati denied any involvement in the renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia, which resumed in September between federal forces and an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Abdel Ati characterized the violence as a domestic matter and accused the Ethiopian government of attempting to shift responsibility for its own internal crises onto other nations.
The diplomatic breakdown is compounded by a long-standing strategic dispute over the Nile. Egypt continues to seek a legally binding agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and opposes Ethiopia's plans to revive three additional Blue Nile dams, which Cairo views as a threat to its water security. The African Union Commission has urged all three nations to exercise maximum restraint and maintain communication to avoid further destabilizing the region.
