Ethiopian Prime Minister Resigns to Facilitate Political Reforms

After years of unrest in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned on Thursday to pave the way for political reforms. According to Reuters, in Ethiopia's political system, the Prime Minister is considered the leader of the country, and Mr. Desalegn's resignation indicates a deep rift within the ruling coalition regarding the pace of political reforms and the creation of an open environment in the country. It is still unclear who will replace Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also the head of the political coalition representing various ethnic groups in Ethiopia. In a televised speech, Mr. Desalegn stated, "Unrest and political crisis have led to the death and displacement of many of my people. I believe my resignation is a significant factor in the continuation of reforms that will lead to lasting peace and democracy." In 2015 and 2016, hundreds of people were killed in Ethiopia's populous regions. Opposition to an urban development plan in Addis Ababa led to widespread protests against political restrictions, land grabbing, and human rights violations. Some experts point out that the Tigrayan ethnic minority, which constitutes 6% of Ethiopia's population, holds many economic and political privileges, has high-ranking officials in power and the military, and possesses significant economic activities and land compared to other ethnic groups. During violent events, several foreign companies were attacked, damaging foreign investors' confidence in Ethiopia's situation. This issue is one of the main points of contention within the ruling coalition to end the unrest. Hailemariam Desalegn, 52, a former academic official, stated that he would serve as interim Prime Minister until the parliament and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, the ruling coalition, introduce a new Prime Minister. According to state media, the ruling coalition has accepted his resignation, but it is still unclear when the new Prime Minister will take office. The ruling party is set to hold a nationwide conference next month. According to a close official to the ruling coalition and an expert familiar with the regional situation, there is currently significant pressure for a member of the Oromo ethnic minority to assume the Prime Minister's position. Currently, the highest-ranking government official from this ethnic group is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Reuters adds that Hailemariam Desalegn's resignation follows cabinet changes in November of last year and the sidelining of many senior officials. Since January, the government has accelerated reforms and released over 6,000 political prisoners. Most of these individuals, including opposition politicians and journalists, were arrested for participating in widespread protests. Experts say Hailemariam Desalegn intended to implement extensive reforms, particularly to release all political prisoners. However, it seems he was unable to execute all these plans. At the same time, it should be noted that his resignation does not necessarily mean a speeding up of political reforms. Girma Seifu, a former parliament member and government opponent, warns that simply resigning one individual cannot implement all reforms. The ruling party has controlled all parliamentary seats since 2015. Girma Seifu states, "The parliament must be dissolved, and a political transitional period must begin. Whoever replaces him (Hailemariam Desalegn) must consider a transitional period; otherwise, it will be a false start."