Egypt and Ethiopia expel diplomats in tit-for-tat diplomatic row

Egypt and Ethiopia have escalated their diplomatic tensions by expelling each other's diplomats in a tit-for-tat move. Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry instructed a senior Egyptian diplomat, Ahmed Moharam Ahmed Soliman, to leave the country within 48 hours, citing no reason for the action. In response, Egypt expelled a senior member of Ethiopia's diplomatic mission in Cairo, giving him two days to depart.

The expulsions followed Ethiopia's decision to close its embassy in Eritrea, a close Egyptian ally, and declare 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata. This prompted Eritrea to sever diplomatic ties with Ethiopia after hearing overnight blasts in Addis Ababa, leading to fears of renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia. Addis Ababa accuses Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting an opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that has been battling Ethiopian government troops since the previous week.

The three countries deny these accusations. A state media source in Cairo described Ethiopia's expulsion of the Egyptian diplomat as "unfortunate" and unjustified. Egypt has consistently denied interfering in the internal affairs of other nations, countering Addis Ababa's claim of Egyptian support for the Ethiopian rebels. The longstanding dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia revolves around the Nile's water, with Cairo asserting that a large dam built by Addis Ababa may diminish Egypt's crucial share of the river's water.