Ethiopia Expels Egyptian Diplomat on Same Day It Moves Against Eritrean Mission

October 1, 2026

Ethiopia has declared Egyptian diplomat Ahmed Moharam Ahmed Soliman persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours, according to a diplomatic note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry did not state the reason for Soliman’s expulsion or specify any alleged conduct. The notification said only that the decision was made in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The move came on the same day Ethiopia announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and expelled ten Eritrean diplomats, accusing them of activities that posed a direct threat to Ethiopia’s national security. Eritrea subsequently announced that it would reciprocate and sever diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.

The Egyptian diplomat’s expulsion is particularly notable because Ethiopia’s army chief, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, recently accused Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan of supporting forces fighting the federal government in northern Ethiopia. Egypt and Sudan have rejected allegations of involvement.

Taken together, the diplomatic measures signal a further deterioration in Ethiopia’s relations with regional governments it has publicly accused of involvement in the widening conflict.