AMECO AFRICA / ADDIS ABABA
An embassy can close in a day. Making the case that follows takes evidence, and a legal scholar says Ethiopia has it.
Ethiopia’s October 1 press statement announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and the expulsion of ten Eritrean diplomats. A diplomatic note to Egypt’s embassy, dated 10/1/2026, declared one Egyptian diplomat persona non grata under the Vienna Convention. Ethiopia has accused Eritrea and Egypt of waging a proxy war against it by supporting armed groups that seek to overthrow the government. Alemayehu G/Mariam, professor emeritus at California State University and an attorney, told AMECO Africa digital media that Ethiopia should meet its legal duties and take its case to the continent. “Evidence is Ethiopia’s strongest diplomatic weapon,” he said.
Both documents invoke the Vienna Convention. The press statement says the ten Eritrean diplomats were involved in “activities that pose a direct threat to Ethiopia’s national security.” The note to Egypt, reference 2-5/15/1/26, names Ahmed Moharam Ahmed Soliman and sets the same 48-hour deadline. Ethiopia, the statement said, “urges the Eritrean Government to cease all acts that are contrary to the principles governing relations between sovereign states.” It also said Ethiopia “values its strong historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties with Eritrea.”
“Ethiopia has closed its embassy in Asmara and expelled ten Eritrean diplomats. Eritrea has responded by severing diplomatic relations,” Alemayehu said.
He said Ethiopia acted within its rights. “Ethiopia is entitled to restrict diplomatic relations, withdraw diplomatic representation and declare foreign diplomats persona non grata where the requirements of international and domestic law are met,” he said.
He added that Ethiopia should continue to honor its obligations. “Diplomatic rupture does not end Ethiopia’s responsibilities,” he said, and “breaking diplomatic relations does not mean abandoning Ethiopian interests or citizens in Eritrea.”
He pointed to Article 45 of the Vienna Convention. “When diplomatic relations are broken, diplomatic premises, property and archives must continue to be protected,” he said. The article “also permits a third state acceptable to the receiving state to protect the interests of the sending state and its nationals.” His recommendation: “Ethiopia should therefore make arrangements to protect its citizens, facilitate repatriation where necessary, and safeguard Ethiopian property and interests in Eritrea.”
The evidence
On the wider confrontation, the professor put the weight on proof. “There is substantial evidence of foreign troop movements, weapons and equipment, financial and logistical networks, military training and coordination, cross-border attacks, communications and other verifiable evidence,” he said, describing Eritrea’s alleged involvement in the war in Tigray.
Taking the case to Africa
Prof. Alemayehu urged Ethiopia to work with regional institutions. “The African Union has expressed concern over the escalating tensions involving Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt and called for maximum restraint, preservation of communication channels and resolution of differences through established diplomatic channels and peaceful dialogue,” he said. The AU has also offered to support de-escalation, so “Ethiopia should therefore actively engage the AU and other African institutions.”
He said Ethiopia has nothing to fear from that process. “Seeking African intervention is not an admission of weakness. A confident state has nothing to fear from putting the facts before the continent and the international community,” he said. The objective, in his words, “should be to prevent an Ethiopian-Eritrean confrontation from becoming another wider Horn of Africa conflict.”
