Women Appointed to Half of Ethiopia's Cabinet Roles in Reshuffle

Ethiopia’s cabinet reshuffle has resulted in 50 percent of the positions being assigned to women, for the first time in the country’s history. Lawmakers Tuesday unanimously approved the nominations put forward by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

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"Our women ministers will disprove the old adage that women can't lead," Abiy said while presenting his choices. "This decision is the first in the history of Ethiopia and probably in Africa."

Aisha Mohammed Musa, a former construction minister, will lead Ethiopia's Defense Ministry and become the first woman to hold that position in the country. Ahmed Shide, who has previously served as a deputy minister of finance and a government spokesman, replaced Abraham Tekeste as finance minister.

On Tuesday, the Ahmed administration also created the Ministry of Peace as he sought to tackle a wave of ethnic violence. Former House speaker Muferiat Kamil, another woman, will lead the new Ministry of Peace, and her office will oversee the intelligence and security agencies.

“The main problem in this country is the lack of peace. This (peace) ministry will be working hard to ensure it prevails,” Abiy told lawmakers.

About 2.2 million people out of a population of 100 million have been displaced by violence over the last year, with much of the violence taking place between rival ethnic groups.

He also named ministers of agriculture, culture and tourism, education, labor, mines, planning and development, revenue, science, trade, transport, urban development, and women’s affairs — a mixture of new names and reshuffled ministers.

Ahmed also merged ministries to cut the cabinet from 28 to 20. He kept his foreign minister, health minister, water and electricity minister, and the attorney general unchanged.

Ethiopia has witnessed sweeping political and economic reforms since the 42-year-old Abiy Ahmed entered the office in April after months of anti-government protests.

He has made peace with neighbor Eritrea and presided over the partial privatization of key economic sectors such as telecommunications. He also extended an olive branch to several rebel groups, promised to follow a policy of reconciliation, and rein in the powerful security agencies.