The Ethiopian ambassador to Egypt, Markos Tekle Rike, announced that his country will close its embassy in Egypt due to “the economic situation in his country” for three to six months. In statements to the BBC on Sunday, Rike explained that the closure has nothing to do with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are at odds over GERD. Egypt and Sudan say they want a legally binding agreement, while Ethiopia says any pact should be advisory. Negotiations over the dam between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan have stalled for years, with the three parties ultimately failing to reach any agreements.
