French and Germans called to leave Ethiopia without delay

France and Germany have urged their citizens to flee Ethiopia, where combat between the Ethiopian army and rebels in Tigray continues. Family members of UN personnel are also being evacuated from the country.

In a message released on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website on Tuesday, November 23, France urged all of its people in Ethiopia to leave the country immediately.

While combat continues in Ethiopia between the government army and Tigrayan rebels and their supporters, the Quai d’Orsay has issued a “formal” warning against any travel to Ethiopia, including transit via the capital’s airport. Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa is one of Africa’s busiest airport hubs.

On Tuesday, November 23, Germany advised its citizens to leave Ethiopia on the earliest commercial flights available. The German Foreign Ministry emphasized that Germans may still pass via Addis Ababa-Bole International Airport.

Early in November, the US ordered all non-essential employees to leave Ethiopia, and on November 16, it encouraged all of its people in the country to leave immediately. Denmark and Italy both appealed to their populations in the same way.