Egypt has announced the expulsion of an official from the Ethiopian Embassy in Cairo, giving him 48 hours to leave the country; this move appears to be a diplomatic response to Ethiopia’s decision to expel an Egyptian diplomat.
Egyptian government sources described Ethiopia’s decision to declare a member of the Egyptian Embassy staff *persona non grata* as “regrettable” and unjustified.
The sources stated that Egypt consistently rejects interference in the internal affairs of other nations and refrains from interfering in or commenting on the domestic affairs of other countries—including Ethiopia—in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter.
The sources also accused the Ethiopian government of frequently attributing its internal problems and challenges to interference by foreign parties. In response to Ethiopia’s move, Egypt declared a counselor at the Ethiopian Embassy in Cairo *persona non grata* and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours, citing the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.
This action follows a decision announced by Ethiopia last Thursday, in which it declared a member of Egypt’s diplomatic staff, Ahmed Moharam Ahmed Soliman, *persona non grata* and ordered him to leave Ethiopia within 48 hours.
This exchange of diplomatic measures comes at a time of escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt, as the two nations have long been at odds over issues related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the region’s security situation.
