Bole International Airport Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Aimed at regulating the access of foreign dignitaries’ to a VIP welcome and privileges to bypass security checkpoints at airport, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has issued a new directive setting new guidelines, including who should be entitled for the VIP meet and greet.
On arrival at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport dignitaries could be hosted into one of three VIP salons, says the new directive by MoFA.
VIP salon one, located on the first floor of the old terminal building at the Bole airport, shall be open for service only when confirmed for beneficiaries.
Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses, Heads of State and Government, and their spouses and children will be beneficiaries of the VIP salon one, the directive stipulates. The United Nations Secretary General and his family are also entitled for this top notch welcome.
Coming second as a significant pack and to be hosted at the VIP salon two are Vice Presidents, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Speakers, Presidents of Supreme Courts, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Secretary General of the Economic Commission for Africa, and former Heads of State and Government as well as members of delegations accompanying them.
VIP salon two is located on the ground floor of the old terminal building at the airport and shall be open for service only when confirmed for the indicated higher officials.
VIP salon three is also located on the ground floor but shall regularly remain open and ready to render service to beneficiaries. According to the directive, its beneficiaries are higher officials of foreign governments, religious leaders and renowned individuals; resident Ambassadors of different countries; Special Envoys, heads of missions and heads of international and regional organizations that would receive such a right both on arrival and departure as well as when receiving and seeing off their guests of comparable or of higher rank.
“Security inspection shall not be made on the person and hand bags of Ethiopian and foreign countries’ higher officials who are beneficiaries of the VIP salon one and two when entering the VIP salons and when boarding the airplane. Notwithstanding this, luggage other than hand bags may be screened by an X-ray machine for security check if compelling reason exists,” says article 6 of the new directive.
Beneficiaries of the VIP salon three as well shall be exempted from security checks when entering the salon. They however shall pass through an X-ray machine when boarding the plane, says the directive.
“In accordance with the provisions of Article 36(2) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Diplomatic Relations, the personal baggage of a diplomatic agent carried at hand by an identified agent or transported by a cargo shall be inspected by the airport security, using an X-ray machine, to make sure that the baggage does not contain articles prohibited by the laws of the country,” reads article 8 of the new directive.
MoFA says as Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union and several international and regional organizations sees its diplomatic activities steadily increasing, the issuance of a directive to regulate the use of Airport VIP salons, the passage of VIP and diplomatic luggage and airport entrance, is deemed necessary more than ever.
Protocol Directorate General of MoFA will be in charge of implementing the directive and access to the VIP welcome procedures. The directorate and the Immigration and Nationality Affairs Main Division will be responsible for facilitating stakeholders’ access to the services as stipulated by the directive that has taken effect on July 25th.
By Kirubel Tadesse (capitalethiopia.com)