Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi not closing-ambassador

GOOBJOOG NEWS/NAIROBI: Our embassy is Kenya is not set to close, Ethiopian ambassador to Kenya has said dismissing media reports as ‘false and a wild guess’.
Reacting to media reports that PM Abiy Ahmed had lined up the embassy in Nairobi for closure, ambassador Meles Alem Tekea noted there was no such a plan from Addis Ababa.
“Ethiopian neighbouring countries such as Kenya remains to be the priority to Ethiopian Foreign Policy,” the embassy said in a statement Tuesday.
Ambassador Tekea told the local media in Kenya that the PM Abiy Ahmed had been misquoted during his address to Parliament last week.
“The Prime Minister was being hypothetical. The truth is that the embassy will not be closed. It is a very clear policy that our neighbours are priority in our foreign policy,” said Ambassador Tekea.
Addressing Parliament last week, Abiy Ahmed fronted a cost cutting measure involving closure of half of the countries missions abroad.
“Ethiopia shouldn’t have 60 or so embassies and consulates in the present moment. Instead of throwing US dollars everywhere … at least 30 of the embassies should be closed … the ambassadors should instead be here,” he said.
“The Ethiopian ambassador in Kenya, for example, probably meets the Kenyan foreign minister once a year or once in two years.”
Media houses in Kenya subsequently reported the Nairobi embassy was up for closure.