The Embassy in Addis Ababa plans to facilitate the departure of the French on commercial flights by reserving seats and, “if necessary”, charter a charter flight.
Le Monde with AFP
Tuesday, November 23, France called on its nationals to leave Ethiopia, where fighting approaches the capital after more than one year of war between government forces and rebels in the north of the country. “All French nationals are formally called upon to leave the country without delay,” says the French Embassy in Addis Ababa in an email sent to the members of the French community.
The embassy, which says to make this decision in view of “the evolution of the military situation”, adds to facilitate the departure of nationals on commercial flights by reserving seats and, “if necessary”, of Clear a charter flight. Before France, several countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have urged their citizens to leave the country. The latter also evacuated their non-essential staff. A manager of the embassy told AFP that “voluntary” departures of staff could take place, particularly among families.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, sent the Federal Army in early November 2020 to dismiss the authorities of this region, from the People’s Liberation Front of the Tiger (TPLF), which defied his authority and that He accused of attacking military bases. Nobel Peace Prize 2019, Mr. Abiy proclaimed the victory three weeks later, after taking the regional capital, Makale. But in June, PRO-TPLF fighters took up most of the region and continued their offensive in the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar.
Diplomatic Efforts
In late October, the TPLF claimed the taking of two key cities in Amhara, thus approaching Addis Ababa – what the Ethiopian government had denied. The TPLF, which has combined with an active oromo rebel group in the region surrounding the capital, said this week being in Shewa Robit, 220 km northeast of Addis Ababa. The government did not comment on this information. According to diplomats by the safe situation, some rebellious fighters would have reached the locality of Debre Sina, closer to about 30 km from the capital.
In recent weeks, the diplomatic efforts of the international community have intensified to attempt to obtain a ceasefire agreement. The emissary of the African Union (AU) for the Horn of Africa, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and his American counterpart, Jeffrey Feltman, went again in Ethiopia on Thursday. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has recently warned the risks of “implosion” of Ethiopia if no political solution to the conflict is found.