Ethiopia achieves ethnic milestone with selection of new PM Abiy Ahmed
Ethiopia’s ruling coalition on Tuesday elected as leader Abiy Ahmed, from the country’s largest ethnic group the Oromo, paving the way for him to become prime minister, state media reported.
As leader of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Abiy is set to take over from Hailemariam Desalegn, who announced his resignation last month in a surprise move after over two years of sporadic and often deadly protests against his government.
“The EPRDF council has elected Dr Abiy Ahmed as the leader of the party,” the government-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said.
Abiy will be the first Oromo prime minister in the 27-year rule of the EPRDF, which has presided over years of rapid economic growth in Africa’s second most-populous country despite growing unease both at home and abroad with its authoritarian governing style.
Beyond just marking an ethnic milestone, many Ethiopians are hopeful Abiy will change the ways of the party, which assumed power in 1991 after routing the communist Derg junta.
