Iran Press/ Africa: Ethiopia is expelling seven senior UN officials, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, two days after the world body's aid chief warned a government blockade of aid had likely forced hundreds of thousands of people in the northern region of Tigray into famine.
The seven people being expelled include the country heads of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The seven have 72 hours to leave, the ministry said in a statement, accusing them of "meddling" in internal affairs.
A statement from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was "shocked" by the expulsions and added: "We are now engaging with the Government of Ethiopia in the expectation that the concerned UN staff will be allowed to continue their important work."
Conflict in northern Ethiopia has so far displaced nearly two million people and left 400,000 starving.
On Tuesday, UN aid chief Martin Griffiths, the head of OCHA, said a nearly three-month-long "de-facto blockade" of Tigray's borders has restricted aid deliveries to 10% of what is required. 219
