Ethiopia: Taye Atske-Selassie Sworn in as President
Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, shortly after the two houses of parliament elected him to replace Sahle-Work Zewde....
Facts
- Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, shortly after the two houses of parliament elected him to replace Sahle-Work Zewde.[1][2]
- In his inauguration speech, Taye said that 'all doors to peace remain widely open' with individuals and groups but cautioned that attempts to 'achieve political goals through force' wouldn't be tolerated.[3][4]
- Sahle-Work, Ethiopia's first-ever female president, resigned weeks before her six-year term expired — after reportedly falling out with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.[5][6]
- During her presidency, Zewde had been criticized for her silence on conflict-related issues, including gender-based violence.[6][7]
- She worked as the special representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union before being named head of state with Abiy's support in 2018.[6][8][9][10]
- Ethiopia's presidency is largely ceremonial, with little to no impact on policies or power dynamics. Taye is the fifth person in the position since 1995 and can hold the office for a maximum of two six-year terms.[5][8]
Sources: [1]Voice of America, [2]allAfrica.com, [3]Addis Standard, [4]Dw.Com, [5]Borkena Ethiopian News, [6]BBC News, [7]Addis Insight, [8]The Africareport, [9]Metaculus and [10]Africanews.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Zehabesha. Facing complex issues at home and abroad, the authoritarian Abiy regime effectively forced Sahle-Work to resign the presidency so Taye could emerge as the new head of state in an attempt to stabilize Ethiopia. Though unlikely, this change may lead to a new era in which the federal government meets the people's aspirations.
- Narrative B, as provided by Semafor. Given the groundbreaking impact of her appointment as Ethiopia's first female president six years ago, it's natural that Sahle-Work's resignation is a shock to those who don't closely follow local politics. However, the fact is that she disappointingly saw widespread gender violence in Tigray and deadly conflicts across the country in silence.
