Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced plans to appoint a new leader for the conflict-ridden Tigray region, following the departure of interim President Getachew Reda amid internal power struggles within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Getachew Reda fled to Addis Ababa earlier this month after losing support within the TPLF, the dominant political force in Tigray. His removal has intensified concerns that political instability could reignite the civil war that ravaged the region between 2020 and 2022, resulting in an estimated 500,000 deaths.
In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Abiy has invited Tigrayans to submit recommendations for their next regional leader via email. The initiative is seen as an attempt to foster inclusive governance, though it remains unclear how the final selection will be made.
Abiy criticized Tigray’s leadership for failing to organize regional elections, which were supposed to take place after the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. The peace deal, brokered between the TPLF and Ethiopia’s federal government, ended the brutal two-year war and established an interim administration to govern Tigray until elections were held.
The political infighting within the TPLF and uncertainty over leadership have raised fears of renewed instability, as Tigrayans remain deeply divided over the region’s future.
