Ethiopian Conflict Not Affecting Russian-Backed Nuclear Power Plant Project - Ambassador

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2020) The conflict in northern Ethiopia has no bearing on the joint Russian-Ethiopian project to construct a nuclear power plant in the country, Addis Ababa's Ambassador Alemayehu Argau to Moscow told Sputnik.

"It is going on good, everything is as planned," the ambassador said in response to Sputnik's question regarding the project.

According to him, the location for the nuclear power plant has not yet been selected as authorities await the final approved designs in order to begin scouting.

He went on to say that no projects outside the Tigray region have been affected in the ongoing conflict between the central government and the Tigray People's Liberation Party (TPLF).

"The conflict has never influenced any project in the country. The conflict is contained in the Tigray regional state," the diplomat said, adding that, to his knowledge, there were no Russian companies operating in the restive region.

Plans to construct a nuclear power plant were drawn up and agreed at the Russia-Africa summit in October 2019, with Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom to oversee the project.

Fighting erupted in northern Ethiopia earlier this month when the central government accused the Tigray region's political forces of conducting an attack on a military base in the region. The brewing standoff came to a head after the region's authorities pushed ahead with general elections without an OK from Addis Ababa. The elections saw an overwhelming victory for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a political force that dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly two decades before being ousted from power by Abiy Ahmed's new government in 2019.