Ethiopia Reshuffles Ministries

The Ethiopian government is overhauling its ministerial mandates as a cabinet reshuffle looms. The House of People's Representatives began deliberating on a draft proclamation on October 7, during its first special session.

The draft proclamation aims to restructure four federal executive ministries, including the Ministry of Planning and Development, which will be renamed the Ministry of National Strategy. This change signals a potentially broader role for the institution beyond conventional development planning.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports will be reorganized as the Ministry of Youth and Sport, while the Ministry of Tourism will be re-established as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics will be renamed the Ministry of Logistics.

Government Representative Fekadu Tessema explained that the proposed changes are intended to enhance operational efficiency and align the institutions more closely with their respective mandates. The total number of ministry-level executive institutions will remain unchanged at 22.

Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Assefa presented detailed explanations of the draft proclamation to the House as lawmakers deliberate on the proposed institutional changes. The changes are expected to define the mandate of the new Ministry of National Strategy, including its responsibilities and powers.

The restructuring raises questions over how transport-related responsibilities will be distributed under the new executive arrangement. The detailed division of powers is expected to be outlined in the proclamation.

The government said the changes were intended to improve the effectiveness of federal institutions and better align their structures with their respective mandates. The draft proclamation is expected to be passed after deliberation by the House of People's Representatives.