African Development Bank to relocate international staff from Ethiopia

The African Development Bank announced on Wednesday that it was withdrawing all international staff from Ethiopia following a "serious diplomatic incident" in which staff were assaulted by security guards.

The bank, which lends exclusively to African countries, said existing Ethiopian staff would continue to work under their contracts and that the Ethiopian office would be manned by an officer-in-charge. International staff will work remotely in the meantime.

The AfDB's decision followed what it called a "breach of diplomatic protocol and assault" by Ethiopian security forces on two international staff members of the African Development Bank.

On October 31, two Addis Ababa-based staff members were arrested, physically assaulted and detained for hours without charge or official explanation, the bank said. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had personally intervened to secure their release.

The Bank publicly protested the incident two weeks later and sought assurances from the Ethiopian authorities.

The incident was said to have been authorised by a senior government official who was angered by the AfDB staff's nagging about accountability for some disbursed funds. The two senior staff members have since been transferred, a source told The EastAfrican earlier this month.

"This was a gross violation of their personal diplomatic immunities, rights and privileges under the African Development Bank Group's Host Country Agreement with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia," the bank said on Wednesday.

The President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, had contacted Dr Abit directly after the incident, followed by a high-level delegation to Addis on 22 November.

  "The assessment of the Bank's delegation is that the situation has not yet been satisfactorily resolved. 

"It also does not inspire full confidence that all African Development Bank staff feel safe to carry out their duties and move around the country without fear of harassment," Adesina said.

 Ethiopia has reportedly refused to provide the bank with a report or details of the investigation into the incident.

"The incident has also raised concerns among the Bank's shareholders, other multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, the wider diplomatic community and other stakeholders."

Adesina stressed that the African Development Bank will do everything possible to ensure the safety of its staff and the protection of their rights and privileges in the conduct of their work.

In this regard, he said.

"While the Bank appreciates the excellent relations it has had with Ethiopia until this egregious incident, its continued operations and future presence in the country could be negatively affected if the incident is not fully resolved."

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia.