What changed
Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives approved a 22-minister federal cabinet on October 8, bringing the new Medemer Government formally into office. Nine women received portfolios including finance, justice, trade and regional integration, health, revenues, mining, and innovation and technology; the cabinet also includes figures from parties that competed in the 2026 general election.
Why it matters
The lineup gives Ethiopia’s new five-year governmental chapter a broader political and institutional shape from day one. Alongside Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, re-elected and sworn in for another term, the 22 ministers and Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh now form the federal executive.
The appointments also put women in several ministries with direct influence over public money, justice, commerce, health and technology. That makes representation part of the cabinet’s operating structure, not just its symbolism.
The inclusion of Birhanu Nega as education minister and Musa Adem as peace minister adds another notable element: people linked to parties that competed in the 2026 general election are now inside the federal executive. Whether that broadens political cooperation in practice will become clearer as the government begins its work.
The constitutional oath has been taken, and the seventh parliamentary term opened on October 5. The formal transition is complete; the harder test is how this cabinet turns its varied composition into policy.
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