Ethiopia is in the process of developing its own social network to rival the Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp platforms, according to 'Reuters'. The information was made known this Monday by the state communications security agency of that country.

The Ethiopian government thus intends to replace the most popular social networks with its new local platform, according to the Director General of the Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Shumete Gizaw.

The leader accused Facebook of deleting posts and user accounts that he said have been "disseminating the true reality about Ethiopia."

The Ethiopian government has been criticized by international human rights groups for shutting down digital services including Facebook and WhatsApp last year, accusations to which Ethiopia's executive has not responded. Ethiopia has been embroiled since last year in an armed conflict opposing the federal government with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls the Tigray region in the north of the country.

According to Statista, Ethiopia, which has about 115 million inhabitants, adds up to six million Facebook users.