Ethiopia achieves 50% women in ministerial cabinet
Women will now make up 50 per cent of Ethiopia’s new cabinet, after lawmakers unanimously approved the nominations put forward by Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.
The cabinet which was approved on Tuesday will also see the country’s first woman defense minister.
Another female member of the cabinet, Muferiat Kamil, will oversee the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service, the Information Network Security Agency, the Federal Police Commission, while Aisha Mohammed Musa will lead the country’s defense ministry.
Abiy, 42, had said while presenting his choices that the women ministers will “disprove the old adage that women can’t lead.
“This decision is the first in the history of Ethiopia and probably in Africa,” he said.
Abiy has been hailed for overseeing political and economic reforms since he assumed office as prime minister in April.
Ethiopia joins a number of mostly European countries where several women hold important ministerial positions.
Presidential aspirant in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar said on Wednesday that if elected, 40 per cent of his cabinet would be women and youths.
