# Italy-Ethiopia diplomatic tension > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/italy-ethiopia-diplomatic-tension > Updated: 2026-08-21T08:54:11.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. The diplomatic relationship between Italy and Ethiopia has experienced significant friction following the departure of the Italian ambassador, Sem Fabrizi, after ten months in Addis Ababa. Initial reports indicated that Fabrizi was declared ‘persona non grata’ by the Ethiopian government. This expulsion was allegedly linked to his strict enforcement of embassy protocols, including tighter controls on visas and trade authorizations. Some reports suggested his efforts to curb the smuggling of food, spare parts, and weapons destined for associates of Ethiopian leadership caused friction with government officials. While the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered conflicting accounts, suggesting the move might have been coordinated for personal reasons, the incident raised concerns regarding diplomatic reciprocity. Subsequent reports clarified that Italy recalled the ambassador following pressure from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. While the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited a lack of ‘chemistry,’ other reports indicated the tension stemmed from Fabrizi’s stance on human rights issues in the Tigray region. This development marks a rare period of tension between Rome and Addis Ababa, occurring despite Italy’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties through the Mattei Plan. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-21: Italy recalls Ambassador Sem Fabrizi from Ethiopia Italy has recalled Ambassador Sem Fabrizi from Ethiopia after ten months following pressure from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, signaling a diplomatic rift linked to human rights concerns and bilateral interests. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-recalls-ambassador-sem-fabrizi-from-ethiopia ### 2026-08-19: Ethiopia expels Italian Ambassador Sem Fabrizi Italian Ambassador Sem Fabrizi has reportedly been declared persona non grata by Ethiopia following his implementation of stricter controls on visas and arms trade authorizations. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ethiopia-expels-italian-ambassador-sem-fabrizi --- Cite as: Italy-Ethiopia diplomatic tension. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/italy-ethiopia-diplomatic-tension