Breaking: Ethiopia pm Hailemariam Desalegn resigns

 

 

Addis Abeba, February 15/2018 – Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said he has submitted a letter requesting to resign from his role as Prime Minister and Chairman of Ethiopia’s ruling party EPRDF.

In a televised address to the nation this afternoon, PM Hailemariam said he decided to resign from his post in order to help facilitate the ruling party’s reform agenda to manage the current crisis in the country.

“We are at a stage where we are undertaking reforms,” he said, adding he decided to resign “in order to become part of the solution…  I believe it is necessary to be part of the solution.” He also said he believed it was “appropriate to give proper answer to the demands the Ethiopian people are raising.” He also admits the country is “at a gravely concerning stage.”

PM Hailemariam submitted his resignation yesterday to the executive of his own party,  The Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM), of which he is the chairman. The executive has accepted his resignation letter. The letter is also accepted by the ruling EPRDF executive  during an emergency meeting this morning.

However, the final body, the 180 member Council of EPRDF, is yet to convene to accept the resignation and elect a new chairman for the party, EPRDF. PM Haimeariam said he “fully believes” the Council will also accept his resignation when it “convenes soon.”

PM Hailemariam said he will be staying in his role until there is a power transition and asked the people of Ethiopia, especially the youth, to preserve the country’s peace and development.

PM Hailemariam was elected as chairman of the ruling EPRDF by the party’s Council during its regular meeting held on Sep. 14th and 15th. He replaced the late PM Meles Zenawi. He was then subsequently elected as Prime Minister of the country. AS