Two months ago, the African Development Bank (AfDB) made headlines when it reported that two of its employees in Addis Ababa had been subjected to physical assault, arrest, and torture by Ethiopian security forces.
The incident prompted the AfDB to assert that Ethiopia had breached the Vienna Convention on the Protection of Diplomacy and the Agreement of the African Development Bank Office of Host Countries in Ethiopia.
In response to the violation, the AfDB officially communicated the incident to the Ethiopian government, urging an investigation and appropriate action.
Despite assurances from Ethiopia that the matter would be addressed, the bank contended that no action was taken, and the promised information about the investigation was not provided.
Consequently, the AfDB took the unprecedented step of closing its Ethiopian office and relocating its employees to other countries.
However, in a recent statement, the bank declared its decision to reinstate the expelled employees and reopen its office in Addis Ababa.
The statement attributed this change of stance to an apology extended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the African Development Bank.
The bank emphasized that the reopening of the Ethiopian office hinged on receiving security guarantees from Ethiopian authorities.
During a recent meeting between Adesina, the president of the AfDB, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister reportedly offered an apology and provided security assurances to the bank.
The statement highlighted the government’s commitment to cooperating in the investigation of a significant financial matter.
Specifically, the bank referred to a $six million case intended for transfer to the bank but was erroneously redirected to an unknown country.
Established in 1963 in Khartoum, Sudan, based on the decision of the Organization of African Unity, the AfDB is a prominent African institution.
It inaugurated its Ethiopian branch in Addis Ababa in 1967 and has since been involved in various development projects in Ethiopia, contributing over 1.2 billion dollars to the nation’s development initiatives.
The recent developments underscore the significance of diplomatic relations and adherence to international agreements in fostering cooperation between African nations and institutions.
