Following the re-election of Meles Zenawi as Prime Minister by the House of Peoples Representatives yesterday, the House has today endorsed the Ethiopian Premier’s proposed new Cabinet.

The new Cabinet, or Council of Ministers, is as follows;

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development  

Addisu Legesse

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Seyoum Mesfin

Minister Finance and Economic Development

Sufian Ahmed

Minister of Health

Dr.Tewodros Adhanom

Minister of Education

Dr. Sintayehu Woldemikael

Minister of Trade and Industry

Girma Biru

Minister of Defense

Kuma Demekesa

Minister of Information

Berhan Hailu

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs

Hassen Abdella

Minister of Capacity Building

Tefera Walwa

Minister of Justice

Assefa Keseto

Minister of Transport and Communications

Junedi Sado

Minister of Federal Affairs

Siraj Fegeta

Minister of Works and Urban Development

Dr. Kasu Ilala

Minister Mines and Energy 

Alemayehu Tegenu

Minister of Revenue

Melaku Fenta

Minister of Water Resources

Asefaw Dingam

Minister of Women’s Affairs

Hirut Dilebo

Minister of Youth and Sports

Aster Mamo

Minister of Culture and Tourism

Mahmud Dirir

The announcement of the new Cabinet, came a day after the third five-year term of the newly elected parliament was officially opened, with both chambers, the House of Peoples Representatives and the House of the Federation, meeting in a joint session in the morning, before holding their first regular sessions as separate assemblies in the afternoon.

In his televised speech addressing the joint meeting and the nation, Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis hailed the third democratic national federal and regional parliamentary elections which took place in May.

The President also called for “redoubled efforts to sustain and augment the ongoing development successes”, in particularly the unprecedented levels of annual average economic growth attained over the past two year. 

Finally, in wishing both houses of parliament fruitful terms, the President assured them of the “full support of the nation in their endeavours to realise their future programmes for peace, development and democracy.”

ENDS