Egypt responds to Ethiopia’s accusations of meddling in its political affairs

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty affirmed on Saturday that Egypt has not meddled in Ethiopia's political affairs, emphasizing the importance of state sovereignty and non-interference in internal matters as core principles of Egypt's foreign policy. Speaking to Al-Qahera News, Abdelatty confirmed that Egypt is not involved in Ethiopia's internal crisis and criticized the practice of attributing domestic issues to external parties, stating that such actions hinder the pursuit of stability.

He added that Ethiopian allegations linking internal affairs to external entities are an effort to divert attention from the country's internal challenges. Abdelatty's statements come amid mounting diplomatic tensions between Cairo and Addis Ababa, following Ethiopia's expulsion of an Egyptian embassy counselor in Addis Ababa without specifying reasons.

Egypt retaliated by expelling a counselor from the Ethiopian embassy in Cairo and granting him 48 hours to depart. An Egyptian source reported on Saturday that Cairo refuses to be entangled in Ethiopia's internal crisis, stressing that Egypt's foreign policy is built on respecting state sovereignty, avoiding involvement in internal affairs, and fostering good-neighborly relations.

The source also condemned attempts to divert attention from the "true internal motives" behind the events in Ethiopia, arguing that such actions do not aid in calming the situation in a nation that needs the support of African Union institutions to overcome a cycle of conflict. The African Union subsequently issued a statement urging Egypt, Ethiopia, and Eritrea to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and resolve disputes via diplomatic channels and peaceful dialogue—a move that caught an Egyptian source off guard, as they perceived it as dragging Cairo into an issue that they believed should remain an internal Ethiopian affair.