U.S. Embassy Warden Message
March 08, 2007

This warden message supersedes the warden message of March 6, 2007

As a precautionary measure, in light of the recent abduction of European tourists in Ethiopia, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa will now restrict all official and unofficial travel of Embassy personnel to the following areas along the Ethiopia-Eritrea border:

1) East of Adigrat (Ethiopia) to Bure (Ethiopia) and the Djiboutian border:

Embassy personnel are NOT permitted to travel within 60 miles of the Ethiopian-Eritrean border.    

2) West of Adigrat to the Ethiopian -Sudanese Border:    

Embassy personnel are NOT permitted to travel within 30 miles of the Ethiopia – Eritrea border with the exception of the town of Axum.  

All U.S. citizens planning to travel to this region should monitor the local news and maintain contact with the U.S. Embassy while in Ethiopia.  The Embassy will continue to evaluate the security situation and notify all U.S. citizens of any changes.  Any U.S. citizens traveling in Ethiopia in these areas are reminded to take the following security precautions:

-Return to well secured locations in developed urban areas at night and avoid traveling at night between urban areas.

-Travel into rural and undeveloped areas in close proximity to the above restricted areas with extreme care and only when essential.

American citizens with questions or concerns may telephone the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa at 251-11-124-2424; emergency after-hours telephone: 251-11-124-2400; website: x. 

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs internet website at http://travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. Federal Holidays.)