Ethiopia’s parliament has approved the appointment of a new president, replacing Sahle-Work Zewde, the country’s first female head of state.
Taye Astike Selassie, who has served as foreign minister since February, has now assumed the largely symbolic role of president. In Ethiopia, real political power resides with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Sahle-Work is said to have had a strained relationship with Abiy in recent years. Her 2018 appointment, supported by the prime minister, was initially celebrated as a milestone for gender equality in Ethiopian politics.
On Saturday, Sahle-Work posted a brief, cryptic message on X, hinting at dissatisfaction after a year of silence. Sources close to the 74-year-old told BBC Amharic that she had been unhappy for some time and was looking forward to the end of her term, which was set to conclude this month.
During her tenure, Sahle-Work frequently called for peace but was criticized for not speaking more on gender-based violence during the two-year conflict in Tigray. It is believed she was also concerned about ongoing violence in Oromia and Amhara regions.
In Amhara, federal forces have been clashing with local militias, leading to hundreds of deaths and accusations of crimes against humanity by security forces.
President Taye, 68, a seasoned diplomat who has represented Ethiopia at the UN and in Egypt, is seen as an ally of Abiy. He was sworn in before parliament on Monday.
With Sahle-Work’s departure, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan is now the only female head of state in Africa.
