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Ethiopia on Thursday appointed its first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde, making the career diplomat the only active head of state in Africa.
Although the role is essentially ceremonial, the Prime Minister of the country holding the most power, it nevertheless retains considerable social and political influence. The unanimous parliament decision was also taken just after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, elected in April, appointed a new 20-member government, half of whom were women, earlier this month.
In accepting her new role, Sahle-Work emphasized that she would focus on women's issues and press for reforms to continue in her new role.
REUTERS / Tiksa Negeri
"If the current change in Ethiopia is directed by men and women equally, it can maintain momentum and achieve a prosperous Ethiopia, free from religious, ethnic and gender discrimination," she said, according to Al Jazeera. First of all women, so during my term, I will highlight the role of women in ensuring peace and the peace dividend for women, "she added.
Fitsum Arega, the prime minister's chief of staff, hailed the appointment of the new president on Twitter, noting that Sahle-Work is the "first woman to hold the post of head of state in modern day Ethiopia," Reuters reported. .
"In a patriarchal society such as ours, the appointment of a woman at the head of the state not only sets the standard for the future, but also normalizes women as decision makers of the public life, "wrote Arega.
Sahle-Work, 68, was born in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and previously headed the United Nations office in Kenya. She has also been ambassador for Ethiopia in several countries, including France, Senegal and Djibouti. She studied in France and is fluent in French, English and Amharic, the main language of Ethiopia.
REUTERS / Tiksa Negeri
The new president replaced Mulatu Teshome, who had resigned from his six-year term a year earlier, claiming he wanted to be part of the country's reforms and changes. Sahle-Work, which is expected to serve two six-year terms, paid tribute to its predecessor in Thursday's speech.
"Mulatu showed us the path of change and hope, he showed that life went on before and after leaving power," she said. "I call others to follow his example and prepare for change."
Although Sahle-Work is now the only woman or state president in office in Africa, it is not the first. Until March, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was president of Mauritius, the BBC reported. She resigned in an expenditure scandal in which she denied any wrongdoing. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018, was the first woman elected to head the state of modern Africa.
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