ADDIS ABABA (Reuters). -Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry has asked for the World Health Organization (WHO), to conduct an investigation into its foreign minister, who was accused of supporting rebel forces opposing the Ethiopian government.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was the WHO’s director general.

Ethiopia issued a late Thursday statement claiming that Tedros Adhanom’s professional, moral and legal standing had threatened WHO’s organisational standing. His social media posts show that he has spread misinformation, which has damaged WHO’s credibility, independence and reputation.

In an emailed response, the WHO informed Reuters that it had received a communication from Ethiopian foreign ministers called a note verbale.

According to WHO, “we will continue to demand that the Ethiopian government allow humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the 7,000,000 people living in Tigray and Ethiopia .”

“The WHO and its partners repeatedly called for immediate and unimpeded access to humanitarian supplies and services to Tigray.”

The government denied that aid was blocked and accused rebellious Tigray People’s Liberation Fronts (TPLF) forces of requisitioning vehicles previously sent.

Ethiopia’s army chief has previously accused https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-conflict-who-idUSKBN27Z13Z Tedros of trying to procure arms and diplomatic backing for the TPLF. This was denied by him.

Tigrayan forces had to retreat from Tigray in December after the conflict reached two neighboring areas in northern Ethiopia. This led to thousands of deaths.

According to the United Nations, the government has de facto blocked humanitarian aid from Tigray since December 15. No trucks entered the area. Over 90% of Tigray’s population requires food assistance. Last week, doctors said that thousands are suffering from hunger and malnutrition due to the fact that no medication has been allowed into Tigray.

On Thursday, Tedros tweeted “People in #Tigray #Ethiopia, living under de facto blockade for over a year, are dying from lack of medicine & food, & repeated drone attacks. @WHO & partners call for safe, unimpeded access to deliver humanitarian aid to the millions of people in great need.”

According to the WHO, its principal call was for access to all affected people and to encourage political action by all sides to reach peace and security.

The statement stated, “This holds true for Tigray” and other parts of northern Ethiopia.

According to Ethiopia’s foreign ministry, Tedros did not show integrity or professionalism. He was also a member of TPLF. This group ruled Ethiopian politics for almost 30 years prior to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad’s election in 2018.

The ministry stated that Tedros supports the TPLF through his media engagements, and also celebrates what the group’s military successes. He is not only selectively outraged when he addresses humanitarian concerns in Ethiopia.”

After the conflict that broke out in November 2020, the government declared TPLF a terrorist organization. Tedros was a Tigrayan and was a member in good standing of the TPLF. Abiy served also as intelligence chief for the previous TPLF government.

Tedros, supported by strong Ethiopian support and African votes was elected as the WHO’s inaugural African director general. In October, he ran as the only nominee. Tedros was elected by the 28 nations that voted against Ethiopia.