Ethiopia won’t shrink from regional responsibility because of State of Emergency: GCAO

The state of emergency Ethiopia has declared to restore peace and stability will not make it shrink from its responsibility of ensuring stability across the region, according to Minister of Government Communication Affairs (GCAO).

This was disclosed at a joint briefing Government Communication Affairs Office Minister, Getachew Reda, and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Taye Atskesilassie gave to diplomats representing African, Asian and  Oceanian countries in Ethiopia  about the state of emergency in the country.

Communication Affairs Minister Getachew on the occasion said Ethiopia will consolidate its role in peacekeeping at the regional and continental levels as usual.

“We will never shrink from our regional responsibility simply because we have declared state of emergency. What we are doing right now is coordinating our security”, he elaborated.

Asked about the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from a key military base in central Somalia’s el-Ali in Hiran region, Getachew said “there will be rotation of forces and that is going to be expected. But we have not yet been restrained from meeting our responsibility towards our brothers and sisters in the region”.

Foreign Affairs State Minister Taye added that some contingent had to move from el-Ali to Beledweyne positioning themselves to protect the electoral process which will be held in Somalia soon.

Source: ENA