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Will Ethiopia’s new leader stay on?

August 22 2012 at 12:00am
By KIRUBEL TADESSE

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iol news pic Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn

AP

In this photo dated Friday, Aug.17, 2012, Hailemariam Desalegn, left, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2010, became acting Prime Minister and will be sworn in as prime minister after an emergency meeting of parliament, said Bereket Simon, the communications minister. Parliament is controlled by Meles' ruling party and governing coalition, ensuring Hailemariam will be approved. No new elections will be scheduled, Bereket said., Ethiopia's long-time ruler who held tight control over this East African country but was a major U.S counter-terrorism ally, died of an undisclosed illness after not being seen in public for weeks, Ethiopian authorities announced Tuesday. He was 57. (AP Photo/Elias Asmare)

Addis Ababa -

The death of Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi pushes his relatively unknown successor, Hailemariam Desalegn, into the spotlight, but it's not yet known if he will be Ethiopia's next long-time leader or a placeholder.

Ethiopia's communication minister said government policy would remain consistent under Hailemariam, the former deputy prime minister and foreign minister who is now acting prime minister pending his swearing-in before parliament. The ruling party controls 546 of the 547 seats of parliament, all but ensuring Hailemariam's ascension to prime minister.

The country's armed forces pledged allegiance to the country's constitution and vowed to defend it during the post-Meles era. Meles died Monday of an unknown illness. He had ruled Ethiopia since the 1990s.

Hailemariam was appointed deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs in September 2010. - Sapa-AP


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