Hailemariam Desalegn. Photograph: Michael Tewelde/AP
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Thursday he had submitted his resignation as both premier and the chairman of the ruling coalition in an effort to facilitate reforms following a period of mass unrest.
Hundreds of people have died in violence sparked initially by an urban development plan for the capital Addis Ababa. The unrest spread in 2015 and 2016 as demonstrations against political restrictions and human rights abuses broke out.
“Unrest and a political crisis have led to the loss of lives and displacement of many,” Hailemariam said in a televised address to the nation.
“… I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy,” he said.
Hailemariam said he would stay on as prime minister in a caretaker capacity until the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the country’s parliament accepted his resignation and named a new premier.
Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Gareth Jones
By Elias Meseret | AP By Elias Meseret | AP February 17 at 11:33 AM ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s defense minister on Saturday ruled out a military takeover a day after the East African nation declared a new state of emergency amid the worst anti-government protests in a quarter-century. The United…
Hailemariam Desalegn's snap resignation as prime minister last month set off a dramatic chain of events in a country that has seen mass protests for several years, putting pressure on the coalition's 27-year-long grip on power. Ethiopia’s ruling coalition is due to meet on Tuesday to elect a new prime…
by Jillian Kestler-D'Amours Some describe it as a "transformational moment"; others the result of an "unprecedented" wave of protests. But whatever it is labelled, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn's surprise resignation is setting the stage for a crucial succession race, that is likely to shape the future course of a country rocked by violent…
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