Eritrea downgraded its diplomatic mission to Ethiopia to the level of charge D’ Affairs for undisclosed reasons, APA learned on Monday.
The relegation has triggered speculation that the two countries have gone sour relations.
Since a year after Ethiopia and Eritrea ended two decades of no-peace-no-war relation, the Eritrean diplomatic mission in Ethiopia was at the Ambassadorial level.
Ambassador Semere Russom had been serving as Ambassador to Ethiopia until earlier this month. He was called back to Eritrea on grounds that he had completed his term.
The new charge d’affaires of Eritrea in Ethiopia is Benyam Berhe. He is said to have tendered his letter of credence to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
The Ministry has not announced, at this writing, the changes in the Eritrean Diplomatic Mission changes in Ethiopia.
Eritrea has not explained why the diplomatic mission was needed to be relegated to the level of charge d’affaires, and Ethiopia did not remark on it too.
This month Ethiopia appointed Fekadu Beyene as Ethiopian Ambassador to Ethiopia. It is unclear if Ethiopia will reciprocate the Eritrean decision and/or if there is any political meaning in the relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s apparent negotiation with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has triggered speculation regarding a possible rift with the Eritrean leadership.
MG/abj/APA