Confirmed: Redwan Hussien Ethiopia’s envoy to Eritrea, to replace Markos Rike, outgoing state minister at MoFA

Addis Abeba, January 02/2019 – Ambassador Redwan Hussien, Ethiopia’s envoy to Eritrea, is coming back to Ethiopia to replace a position held until recently by Ambassador Markos Rike (PhD), State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Addis Standard has confirmed from three sources with knowledge to the matter.

Ambassador Markos was informed about the termination of his position as State Minister in a letter signed and sent to him by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last weekend. Some sources say he was terminated from his position due to a recent remark he gave to media regarding the ban on a Chinese delegation from traveling to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray regional state. Ambassador Markos told DW Amharic that the travel ban on the Chinese delegation wasn’t approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Other sources say he has had a run-in with Prime Minister Abiy due to his support for Sidama referendum. Addis Standard cannot confirm both claims.

The news of Ambassador Redwan’s new assignment came a few days after a two-day official visit by Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki to Ethiopia, during which Ambassador Redwan participated, and just a few weeks after his letters of credentials were accepted by Eritrea. He was appointed as Ethiopia’s envoy in July 2018 following the rapprochement between the two countries after 20 years of no-peace, no-war status. AS