ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that the country plans to cut the number of embassies it has in foreign countries by around half as part of its latest budgetary measures.  In a briefing to Ethiopian lawmakers Monday, Ahmed said the number of embassies and consulates in foreign countries will be cut from around 60 or so currently to around 30, according to news report.

"The Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be reformed. Ethiopia shouldn't have 60 or so embassies and consulates presently," he said. "Instead of spending US dollars all over the place, in the next sixth months to one year period, at least 30 embassies should be closed and the ambassadors instead should be here," the Prime Minister added. The government is recruiting a large pool of young prospective diplomats as well as tapping into the overseas Ethiopian community to boost Ethiopia's profile and international standing, Ahmed said.

In a separate report,, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared on Monday that his government could easily recruit one million new fighters but wants to foster a period of "silence" in the country's war-hit Tigray region.

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