Ethiopia to cut number of embassies by half: PM

Ethiopia plans to cut the number of embassies it has in foreign countries by around half, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Monday.

News Keydmedia Online
6 July 2021

ADDIS ABABA - Ahmed said in a briefing to Ethiopian MPs that the number of embassies and consulates in other countries will be decreased from roughly 60 to around 30.

"The Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be reformed. Ethiopia shouldn't have 60 or so embassies and consulates presently," he said.

"Instead of spending U.S. dollars all over the place, in the next sixth months to one year period, at least 30 embassies should be closed and the ambassadors instead should be here," Ahmed said.

The government is recruiting a large pool of young prospective diplomats as well as tapping into the overseas Ethiopian community to boost Ethiopia's profile and international standing, the prime minister said.

The Ethiopian government's resources have been stretched as a result of the fighting in Tigray.

Since the crisis in the Tigray region erupted in November 2020, Addis Ababa has confessed that the country has lost around $2.3 billion.

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Content contains material from Xinhua