Members of the new Council of Ministers take the oath of office in the House of Peoples’ Representatives in Addis Ababa on October 8, 2026. (Photo: Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, via X)
Ethiopia’s parliament on Thursday unanimously approved Abiy Ahmed’s 22 ministers, making Fitsum Assefa (PhD) Minister of Finance in a cabinet where women hold nine posts, the state-affiliated Fana Media Corporation and The Reporter reported.
Fana said the vote took place at the first regular session of the 7th House of Peoples’ Representatives and that the new ministers then took their oath of office before the House, while The Reporter described the sitting as the second regular session of the parliamentary term. Fitsum, who led the Ministry of Planning and Development for the past eight years, replaces Ahmed Shide at the Ministry of Finance after he was elected Speaker of the House when the new term opened on Monday, The Reporter and Reuters reported.
Among the newcomers, Frehiwot Tamiru, the former chief executive of Ethio Telecom, becomes Minister of Innovation and Technology, and Bereket Fissehatsion, the former state minister, will lead the Ministry of National Strategy, which is the new name Parliament gave the Planning Ministry on Wednesday. Sadat Nesha, a former deputy president of Oromia, will head the renamed Ministry of Logistics, and Mohammed Idris moves from the Ministry of Peace to the Ministry of Defense, according to The Reporter. Musa Adem, the chairman of the Afar People’s Party, takes over the Ministry of Peace.
Temesgen Tiruneh stays on as Deputy Prime Minister, and Gedion Timothewos (PhD) remains Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Birhanu Nega remains Minister of Education and Addisu Arega (PhD) keeps the Agriculture portfolio. Hana Arayaselassie stays at Justice, while Habtamu Itefa (PhD), Mekdes Daba (Dr.) and Aynalem Niguse remain at Water and Energy, Health and Revenues. Fisseha Yitagesu (PhD), the former head of the Industrial Parks Development Corporation, becomes Minister of Industry, Selamawit Kassa leads the new Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Alemtsahay Paulos becomes Minister of Mines in place of Habtamu Tegegn (Eng.), and Shewit Shanka moves to Women and Social Affairs. The other ministers are Yasmin Wohabrebbi for Trade and Regional Integration, Awelu Abdi for Labor and Skills, Mohammed Abdurahman (Eng.) for Urban and Infrastructure, Sultan Weli (PhD) for Irrigation and Lowlands and Aklilu Tadesse (PhD) for Youth and Sports, according to the list posted by the Office of the Prime Minister on X.
Fana said women account for about 41 percent of the ministers and that Mohammed Abdurahman is the first minister from the Harari Region to serve in the federal cabinet. It also noted that two ministers come from parties that ran in the June 1 election, Birhanu of EZEMA and Musa of the Afar People’s Party. Counting Temesgen, Fana described the cabinet as a 23-member body.
Abiy Ahmed made more senior appointments outside the cabinet vote on the same day. Adem Farah becomes Coordinator for Democratic System Building with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, and Ambassador Betre Mengistu becomes Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Fana reported. Enatalem Melese was named Minister of Government Communication Services, a post The Reporter said she already held, and Fekadu Tessema was named Minister with Portfolio in charge of Government Affairs. The Reporter said Fekadu also becomes the Government Whip, replacing Tesfaye Beljige, who is now president of the South Ethiopia Regional State.
Abiy Ahmed told lawmakers that nominees were judged on their education, work experience and ability to carry out plans, and also on how well they understand a long-term national plan. “Beyond that, Ethiopia has prepared a Medemer Grand Strategy extending to 2050,” he said, according to Fana. He said more than 54 million citizens had given the government its mandate in the June election, and that public office should not be seen as comfort, leisure or privilege but as hard work, Fana reported. He added that, after competence, the selection tried to reflect Ethiopia’s ethnic, gender and religious diversity.
The new cabinet takes office as fighting continues in the north, and opposition leaders told BBC Amharic on Thursday that the Gov’t has said little in public about the war. “For me, the silence does not work,” said Rahel Baffe (PhD), deputy chair of the Ethiopian Social Democratic Party, who added that the government “must inform the public about what is happening in the country.” Mistireselassie Tamrat, secretary general of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, said Abiy Ahmed’s Monday speech “as usual did not focus much on the current situation.” Ngatu Wolde, deputy leader of EZEMA, took a different view and said the speech “raised very important issues,” adding that he did not expect detailed plans on the conflicts in such a speech. Berhane Atsbeha, head of public relations for Salsay Weyane Tigray, said his party did not want to comment on a government formed through an election held without Tigray, and he told BBC Amharic that the war, together with the drought, “is costing the people of Tigray a heavy price.”
Sources:
- Fana Media Corporation (cabinet approval)
- Fana Media Corporation (women and pluralism)
- Fana Media Corporation (Harari minister)
- Fana Media Corporation (additional appointments)
- Fana Media Corporation (Medemer Grand Strategy)
- The Reporter (new cabinet)
- The Reporter (four key posts)
- Birr Metrics
- BBC Amharic
- Office of the Prime Minister on X (cabinet list)
- Office of the Prime Minister on X (oath photo)
- Reuters Africa on X
- Addis Standard on X