Location: Amhara Regions
Event: Due to reports of conflict and civil unrest in Amhara, including in and around Lalibela, U.S. citizens are advised to shelter in place until it is safe to leave. As the security environment remains fluid in Amhara, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to avoid travel to the region. U.S. citizens should only seek to leave conflict areas when the security situation improves.
The State Department’s Travel Advisory for Ethiopia advises U.S. citizens to “Reconsider Travel” to Ethiopia and identifies several “Do Not Travel” areas, including the Amhara region, as well as Tigray, Afar,Benishangul Gumuz, and specific areas in the Oromia and Southern Nations and National People (SNNP) Regions, and Ethiopia’s border areas with Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya.
The security situation in Addis Ababa is unchanged and the U.S. Embassy is providing routine and emergency consular services. The consular section processes U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad and can assist U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States. Consular assistance outside of the Addis Ababa metropolitan area remains limited.
Contact the Embassy’s American Citizen Services Unit at AddisACS@state.gov for assistance.
Actions to Take:
- Avoid travel to the Amhara region and regions and areas that are listed as Do Not Travel in Ethiopia’s Travel Advisory.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Cooperate with security officials.
- Monitor government announcements and local media.
- Leave conflict areas only when the situation has improved.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates and to ensure you can be located in an emergency.
