Girl Power, Ethiopia gets its first Female Defense Minister

October 16, 2018 (GCDC) - Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appoints ten females to his cabinet which is fifty percent of the newly formed cabinet. The Ethiopian prime minister also reduced the number of cabinet members from 28 to just 20 members.

There are two firsts in this new appointments, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali appointed Ms. Aisha Mohammed as the next Minister of Defense making Ms. Aisha Mohammed the first female and Muslim Defense Minister in Ethiopian history. The second first is Dr. Abiy divided the Ethiopian cabinet half and a half between men women members which is delighting to the news.

Prime Minister Abiy also consolidated many of the previous ministries into the remaining 20 eliminating many repetitive once. He also created a new minister of peace which would be led by former house speaker Ms. Muferiat Kamil.

Following is the list of the ten women in red and men ministers

Minister of Peace, Muferiat Kamil (Woman)

Minister of National Defense, Aisha Mohammed (Eng.) (Woman)

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Workneh Gebeyehu

Minster of Finance and Economy, Ahmed Shide

Attorney General, Berhanu Tsegaye

Minister of Agriculture, Omer Hussein

Minister of Trade and Industry, Fetlework Gebregziabher (Woman)

Minister of Revenues, Adanech Abébé (Woman)

Minister of Innovation and Technology, Getahun Mekuria (Dr.-Ing)

Minister of Transport, Dagmawit Moges (Woman)

Minister of Urban Development and Construction Jantrar Abay

Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Sileshi Bekele

Minister of Mines and Petroleum Samuel Horko (Ph.D.)

Minister of Education, Tilaye Gete (Ph.D.)

Minister of Science and Higher Education, Hirut Woldemariam (Ph.D.) (Woman)

Minister of Health, Amin Aman (MD)

Minister of Women, Children and Youth Affairs, Yalemtsegay Asfaw (Woman)

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ergogie Tesfaye (Ph.D.) (Woman)

Minister of Culture and Tourism, Hirut Kassahun (Woman)

Plan and Development Commission, Commissioner, Fitsum Assefa (Woman)