Egypt declared an Ethiopian embassy counsellor persona non grata on Thursday, October 1, giving the diplomat 48 hours to depart the country in direct retaliation for Addis Ababa’s expulsion of an Egyptian diplomatic staff member earlier that day.
Cairo characterized Ethiopia’s initial order forcing Egyptian diplomat Ahmed Moharam Ahmed Soliman to leave as an unwarranted and regrettable escalation. Egyptian official sources rejected allegations of foreign interference in Ethiopian domestic affairs, asserting that Addis Ababa has repeatedly attempted to attribute its internal security crises and administrative challenges to external actors while Cairo invoked the principle of reciprocity under international law.
The diplomatic breakdown coincides with sharp destabilization across the broader Horn of Africa. Alongside the eviction of Egyptian personnel, the Ethiopian government formally announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats personae non gratae, citing activities threatening national security and ordering their departure within 48 hours. In response to the embassy closure, Eritrea severed diplomatic relations with Ethiopia, escalating regional friction shortly after Ethiopian military leadership accused Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan of backing armed insurgent movements fighting federal forces.
AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA