African Union Rejects Claims It Blamed Egypt for Ethiopia Tensions

By Staff, Agencies

The African Union Commission has rejected claims that it blamed Egypt or any other neighboring country for developments inside Ethiopia, following objections from Cairo over an earlier AU statement on regional tensions.

The commission said Sunday that it had taken note of Egypt’s concerns regarding its October 1 statement, which called on Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to exercise restraint, maintain communication and resolve their differences through diplomatic means.

The AU said the statement was not intended to assign responsibility to any neighboring country for developments within Ethiopia. It explained that the appeal followed the expulsion of diplomats from Addis Ababa, Cairo and Asmara and was aimed at preventing misunderstandings, escalation and a wider regional crisis.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of African Union member states, as well as the principle of non-interference in their internal affairs.

It added that its statements are issued within its mandate to promote peace, security and stability across Africa and are not intended to comment on domestic developments in member states.

Egypt had objected to the AU statement on Saturday, with an Egyptian official calling it an “incomprehensible attempt” to involve Cairo in what Egypt considers an internal Ethiopian issue.

The African Union also stressed the importance of its relationship with Egypt, describing the country as a founding member of the bloc and an important partner in promoting peace, security, integration and development across Africa.