Transition going smoothly gov’t says
During a meeting with the diplomatic community last week, the Ethiopian government hinted that the state of emergency may not last long and could be repealed after the new Prime Minister comes to power, Capital learnt from diplomatic sources.
The meeting held on Tuesday February 20 between the diplomatic community and diplomats sent to Ethiopia from other countries, mainly focused on state of emergency and recent resignation of the Prime Minister.
The diplomatic community raised some questions and concerns about the situation in the country in a closed door session, according to sources.
In his initial speech Workneh Gebeyehu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the diplomatic community that the transition is going smoothly and the country is becoming stable. According to diplomatic sources, in the closed session the chief diplomat of Ethiopia said that the state of emergency many not last long. This week many of Ethiopia’s allies made statements criticizing the state of emergency.
In the discussion of the diplomats from a country that has a strong partnership with Ethiopia claimed that frequently imposing a state of emergency can affect the country’s image and cause foreign investors to loose trust. In addition to concerning those who have already invested, it can prevent people who were planning on coming from doing so, according to sources.
Workneh said that the state of emergency may not last long. “He said that ‘the new PM can act upon it’,” sources said.
He also stated that some of the embassies expressed their concern about the state of emergency but he insisted that it would be best to talk to his government and him before acting.
He also asked the diplomatic community for positive assistance during this time that he called ‘in this critical condition for the country’, sources said.
As of Friday February 16 the executive body implemented a state of emergency for six months. The parliament is expected to amend it when they return from break this week.
Immediately after the decree several government partners like the US, EU, Germany and the UK issued unusual statements criticizing the state of emergency.
