Ethiopia’s parliament elected Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie as the country’s new president, a position that is largely ceremonial.
Taye replaces the outgoing President Sahle-Work Zewde, who has been in office since 2018.
The parliament elects the president and the prime minister’s ruling party has a majority in the parliament.
The appointment was confirmed following a joint session by Ethiopia’s two houses of parliament, the House of People’s Representatives and the House of Federation, after returning from a two-month recess.
Shortly after he was sworn in, Taye vowed that Ethiopia will actively participate in peace and security efforts in the Horn of Africa, especially the conflict in Sudan.
Ethiopia will also “work to strengthen relationships with neighboring countries in all sectors,” he said.
Taye has become the sixth president since the overthrow of the former authoritarian military rulers, known as the Derg, in May 1991, and the fifth since the adoption of the country’s current constitution in 1995.
Taye has been serving as the country’s foreign minister since February. Prior to his current role, he held the position of foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, since January 2023.
He also served as Ethiopia’s ambassador to Egypt and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
Abiy extended his gratitude to the outgoing president, Sahle-Work, for her service in the last six years. Abiy also extended his best wishes to the newly appointed president.
