Simultaneously, Ethiopia has initiated an investigation into a publicized $6 million fraud case, where funds, intended as the Ethiopian government’s contribution to the AfDB, mysteriously vanished. The Abidjan-headquartered lender has decided to maintain existing Ethiopian staff under their employment contracts, with the Ethiopian office overseen by an officer-in-charge. The diplomatic clash arose on October 31, 2023, when two AfDB staff members in Addis Ababa were unlawfully arrested , physically assaulted, and detained by Ethiopian security forces. According to anonymous sources, the altercation ensued when senior Senegalese economist Abdul Kamara, AfDB Ethiopia Country Manager, disputed the authenticity of the associated bank account. Ethiopia has reportedly declined to share any investigation reports or details related to the incident with the AfDB.

Source: Ethiopian News December 25, 2023 12:31 UTC