Ethiopia Gets First Female Defence Minister

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed the country’s first female defence minister in a new cabinet in which half the posts are taken up by women.

Aisha Mohammed, from the country’s Afar region in the north-east, had served as construction minister before being picked to head the ministry of defence.

Prime Minister Abiy has slimmed down the cabinet from 28 portfolios to 20, which includes the new ministry of peace.

Announcing the changes in parliament, the prime minister said that his reform process needed to continue to address the structural and strategic problems that pushed the country into chaos.

Since coming to power in April, Mr Abiy has introduced a series of reforms which has transformed the political landscape in the country.

Mufuriat Kami, who served as the speaker of the parliament for the past five months, has been appointed as Minister of Peace

She will be overseeing the country’s intelligence and security apparatus including the Federal Police Commission.

The prime minister’s chief of staff has tweeted the full cabinet list:

HE PM Abiy Ahmed has formed a new cabinet. He downsized the number of ministerial positions to 20. Women compose 50% of the new cabinet. Women are assignedto to run key ministerial portfolios including ministries of Peace, Trade and Industry, and Defense. #Ethiopia pic.twitter.com/cWApq587sZ

— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) October 16, 2018

Source: BBC