Paris, Oct 1 (UNI/SPUTNIK) France has condemned Ethiopia’s decision to expel seven United Nations officials and called on the country’s government to reconsider, the French foreign ministry said Friday. On Thursday, Ethiopia ordered seven employees of several UN bodies to leave the country within three days, accusing them of meddling in the country’s affairs. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was shocked by the decision, and expressed the hope that the UN would be allowed to stay and continue working in Ethiopia.
“Yesterday, the Ethiopian government decided to expel seven people working for the UN. France condemns this decision and calls on the Ethiopian authorities to reconsider it,” a spokesperson for the French foreign ministry told a briefing. The spokesperson noted that the UN staff must be able to continue to carry out their missions in Ethiopia at a time when the country faces a worsening humanitarian crisis, with more than 5 million people experiencing extreme food insecurity in several northern regions. “In this context, France calls for full humanitarian access to meet the needs of the population,” the spokesperson said.
The French foreign ministry also urged all sides of the conflict in Ethiopia to establish immediately a ceasefire and begin political dialogue, reminding them of the obligation to protect civilian lives and observe international humanitarian law. Ethiopia is currently struggling with a protracted internal conflict between government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a major local political force. Tensions once again flared up in the country’s north in November 2020 after the government accused the TPLF of attacking a military base, and launched a counter-operation.