GOVERNMENT
Ethiopia is a federal republic under the 1994 constitution. The executive branch includes a president, Council of State, and Council of Ministers. Executive power resides with the prime minister. There is a bicameral parliament; national legislative elections were held in 2005. The judicial branch comprises federal and regional courts. .
Political parties include the Ethiopian People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and 50 other registered
parties, most of which are small and ethnically based. Suffrage
is universal at age 18.
In 2003,
Ethiopia continued its transition from a unitary to a federal
system of government. The EPRDF-led government of Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi has promoted a policy of ethnic federalism, devolving
significant powers to regional, ethnically based authorities.
Ethiopia today has 9 semi-autonomous administrative regions and
two special city administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa),
which have the power to raise their own revenues. Under the present
government, Ethiopians enjoy wider, albeit circumscribed, political
freedom than ever before in Ethiopia’s history.
Principal
Government Officials
President--Girma Wolde-Giorgis
Prime Minister--Meles Zenawi
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture--Addisu
Legesse
Minister of National Defense--Kuma Demeksa
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Seyoum Mesfin
Ethiopia
maintains an embassy
in the U.S. at 3506 International Drive, NW, Washington, DC 20008
(tel. 202-364-1200) headed by Ambassador Kassahun Ayele. It also
maintains a UN mission in New York and consulates in Los Angeles,
Seattle (honorary), and Houston (honorary).
Type: Federal Republic.
Constitution: Ratified 1994.
Branches: Executive--president, Council of State, Council of Ministers. Executive power resides with the prime minister. Legislative--bicameral parliament. Judicial--divided into Federal and Regional Courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 9 regions and 2 special city administrations: Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.
Political parties: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), and other small parties.
Suffrage: Universal starting at age 18.
Central government budget (2006 est.): $3.4 billion.
Defense: $348 million (5.6% of GDP FY 2003).
National holiday: May 28.
