Ethiopia's PM resigns following mass unrest
Desalegn
Hailemariam added, however, that he will stay on as prime minister in a caretaker capacity, until the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the country's parliament accept his resignation and name a new premier
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Thursday he had submitted his resignation as both premier and the chairman of the ruling coalition in an effort to facilitate reforms following a period of mass unrest.
Desalegn said in a televised address to the country, "I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy."
The resignation - unprecedented in Ethiopia’s history - followed a wave of strikes this week in towns near the capital and demonstrations successfully demanding the release of more opposition leaders.
Hailemariam added, however, that he will stay on as prime minister in a caretaker capacity, until the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front(EPRDF) and the country's parliament accept his resignation and name a new premier.
Hailemariam oversaw a smooth handover following the death of former Marxist rebel Meles Zenawi, turning the relatively little-known politician and technocrat to an influential leader.
The announcement came after the government released hundreds of political prisoners, including some prominent opposition members.
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More than 6,000 political prisoners have been freed since January as the government struggles to placate simmering anger among the two largest ethnic groups, the Oromo and Amharic, who complain they are under-represented in the country’s corridors of power.
However, in 2015, months of anti-government demonstrations spread across Ethiopia, leaving hundreds dead and prompting parliament to declare a 10-month state nationwide state of emergency in October 2016.
Ethiopia is the region’s largest economy and a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militancy but rights groups criticize its government for jailing journalists and political opponents.
It was not clear who would replace Hailemariam. He also resigned as chairman of the ruling coalition, which has governed since it defeated a military regime in 1991.
“Unrest and a political crisis have led to the loss of lives and displacement of many,” Hailemariam said in a televised speech. “I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy.”