Egypt Requests Ethiopian Embassy Advisor to Leave Territory in Response to Similar Decision

Egypt has declared an Ethiopian diplomat persona non grata, in response to Ethiopia’s designation of an Egyptian embassy counselor in Cairo as persona non grata and its order for him to leave Egyptian territory within 48 hours, applying the principle of reciprocity. A senior source told the Asharq Al-Awsat news agency that the decision came in response to the Ethiopian government’s declaration of an Egyptian embassy official in Addis Ababa as persona non grata. The source described the Ethiopian move as “regrettable” and unjustified, emphasizing that the Egyptian side has consistently stressed its firm rejection of interference in the internal affairs of other states and its refusal to comment on events in other countries, including Ethiopia, in accordance with the rules of international law and the UN Charter. He added that the Ethiopian side “has resorted to blaming what it claims is the role of external parties for its failure to manage its successive internal files and crises,” according to his statement. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday that an Egyptian diplomat had been declared persona non grata and notified the Egyptian Embassy in Addis Ababa of the need for him to leave Ethiopian territory within 48 hours of the notification. In a diplomatic note addressed to the Egyptian Embassy in Addis Ababa, the ministry stated that the decision was taken in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, clarifying that the Egyptian diplomat concerned by the decision was Ahmed Mahram Ahmed Suleiman.