Her husband lives in Norway, and his wife has filed applications for family reunification. She is 18 years old today, but was only 15 when she got married. Yet Directorate of Immigration (UDI) has concluded that the marriage is valid, writes Our Country. The decision gets strong criticism in a note from the Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa.
– We find it politically problematic that Norway undermines the Ethiopian authorities’ federal legislation where the minimum age for marriage is 18 years, according to the note, which is approved by ambassador Andreas Gaarder.
Immigration say they have relied on information from the independent agency Landinfo. Ethiopia adopted in 2000 a law prohibiting marriage where the woman is under 18, but many states still follows the old law from 1960, where the minimum age is 15 years. UDI says Landinfo has confirmed that marriage probably is entered into under the old law.
– We see that UD and Landinfo considering the matter very differently, says senior adviser Rolf Anthonisen Applicants. The Directorate has asked Landinfo reconsideration of conditions in Ethiopia. He stressed that the application for family reunification is not processed. (© NTB)
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