JUST IN: Ethiopia Expels 7 UN Officials For ‘Meddling’ In Country’s Affairs

Ethiopia has declared that seven United Nations officials are no longer welcome in the country for what it termed as “meddling in the internal affairs of the country”.

As floated on the Official Facebook page of the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the affected officials have three days to exit the country.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, in letters issued today (30 September 2021), has declared a persona non grata for seven individuals who are working for various international NGOs in Ethiopia for meddling in the internal affairs of the country.

“According to the letters addressed to each of the 7 individuals listed below, all of them must leave the territory of Ethiopia within the next 72 hours” it stated on Thursday.

The names and designations of the UN staff are as follows: Mr. Adele Khodr, UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia, Mr. Sonny Onyegbula, Monitoring, Reporting and Advocacy Team Leader : United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Kwesi Sansculotte, Peace and Development Advisor: UNOCHA; Mr. Saeed Mohamoud Hersi: Deputy Head of Office: Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia, Mr. Grant Leaity, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator: Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia, Mrs. Ghada Eltahir Mudawi: Acting Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator: Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia and Mrs. Marcy Vigoda, Head of office: Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia.

The development is coming after the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Wednesday reported about the deteriorating situation bedeviling the country due to the clash between the country’s government and forces in the Tigray region of the country.

“Between 16 and 22 September, partners provided food to more than 126,000 people. But more than half of these people received less food than planned due to shortages of stocks. In comparison, more than 242,000 people received food assistance a week earlier. At least 5.2 million people need food aid in Tigray.

“The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to scale up the humanitarian response in conflict-affected areas of Afar and Amhara” OCHA stated in its report.