Tigray region of Ethiopia appoints new interim leader

• Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fought Ethiopian forces and their supporters.
• If the federal government approves Getachew’s nomination, he will succeed TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael.
• It is unclear when the federal government will make a decision.

The dominant party in Ethiopia‘s northern Tigray area has nominated its spokesman Getachew Reda to lead a regional interim administration called for in a peace agreement that ended a two-year war in the region, according to party-run media on Saturday.

In a battle that murdered tens of thousands of people, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) fought Ethiopian forces and their supporters. After a string of battlefield successes by federal forces, a truce was achieved last November.

If the federal government approves Getachew’s nomination, which was reported by the TPLF-controlled Tigrai TV, he will succeed TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, who has headed Tigray since 2018.

It is unclear when the federal government will make a decision on Getachew’s nomination or when the temporary administration will be established.

Legesse Tulu, an Ethiopian government spokesperson, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to charity workers, the lack of an interim administration has hampered the humanitarian response across Tigray, where millions are in desperate need of assistance.

Wages for civil officials and medical professionals have not been paid, and humanitarian organizations have reported a lack of a clear interlocutor.

Getachew’s nomination came just days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ethiopia and complimented the country’s leaders for making progress in implementing the peace treaty while cautioning that more work was needed.

During that visit, Blinken emphasized the significance of establishing the temporary administration with Getachew and Ethiopian officials.

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