Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed engaged in discussions with Abdul Kamara, the Country Manager of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Ethiopia, regarding the progress of AfDB’s projects in the country. The meeting underscored the continued productivity of Ethiopia’s partnership with the African Development Bank, according to a statement from the Prime Minister.
During the discussions, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed extended congratulations to Akinwumi A Adesina, the President of the AfDB, for being awarded the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.
The interaction between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and AfDB officials follows a recent history of diplomatic incidents between the bank and the Ethiopian government.
In 2019, a serious incident occurred in which two international staff members of the African Development Bank Group were assaulted by Ethiopian government security agents at the Bank’s Country Office in Ethiopia.
In response, the AfDB lodged a formal complaint with the Ethiopian government.
Despite a high-level mission dispatched by the AfDB for direct engagement and discussions with senior government officials in November 2023, the matter remained unresolved.
Concerns persisted regarding the security, safety, and protection of the rights, privileges, and diplomatic immunities of the bank’s staff, as well as the respect for the Host Country Agreement with the Bank. Consequently, the African Development Bank withdrew all its international staff from Ethiopia.
To address and resolve the issues, President Akinwumi Adesina personally traveled to Addis Ababa and held meetings with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from December 29 to 31, 2023 to find a resolution to the diplomatic tensions and ensure the safety and well-being of the AfDB staff operating in Ethiopia.
