Only last the Ethiopian parliament elected a new president and history was made. The parliament just elected the first female president in Ethiopia’s history, her name, Sahle-Work Zewde.
Ms Sahle-Work Zewde is very experienced when it comes to leadership and with this election she stands as the only female president on the continent. The position of President in Ethiopia is ceremonial while the Prime Minister’s position requires an election from the populace.
Her election into the ceremonial seat comes just a week after the Ethiopian Prime Minister made history by selecting a cabinet made up of 50 percent women. In her speech after being sworn in Sahle-Work committed herself to working hard for the improvement of the Ethiopian economy. She also promised to work hard to ensure gender equality which is clearly one of the values the Ethiopian government is trying to adopt.
Sahle-Work Zewde also urged the parliament to uphold peace saying, “I urge you all, to uphold our peace, in the name of a mother, who is the first to suffer from the absence of peace.” Ethiopians have expressed their joy at the election of the first female president of their country describing the event as historic.
She is regarded as the first female Ethiopian president of the contemporary era. This is because in the early 20th century the country was under the leadership of Empress Zewditu. Ms. Zewde was elected into office after her predecessor, Mulatu Teshome, resigned unexpectedly.
Prior to her election she has served in various capacities with the UN and also worked as Ethiopia’s ambassador to Djibouti and Senegal.
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