US to double its diplomatic representation in Ethiopia’s

July 9, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The United States government is to double its diplomatic representation in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, opening an additional embassy that will be responsible for the African Union (AU), it was learned on Sunday.

With the opening of a second embassy in the African diplomatic capital, the United States will become the first country to have two ambassadors in an African country, the English language weekly newspaper Fortune reported.

Most African countries use their bilateral mission to Ethiopia as representative to the AU. Addis Ababa will be the only African capital to host two missions from one Western country, although the practice is nothing new in other parts of the world. Thanks to the United Nations headquarters, most diplomatic missions to the United States have a mission in both New York and Washington DC.

For the U.S. government, Addis Ababa will become one of five capitals where it has two missions, including Brussels and Geneva. However, whether the chancery and residence of the ambassador responsible for the AU will be accommodated in the current compound on Entoto Street is not yet clear. The identity of the proposed ambassador is yet to be made public.

(ST)