Ethiopian PM nominates incumbent finance minister for new cabinet

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attends a rally to celebrate his incumbency at the Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia October 4, 2021. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday nominated incumbent Ahmed Shide to return as finance minister in his new cabinet, signalling a determination to stay with a course of reforms that includes privatising creaking state enterprises.

He nominated Abraham Belay as minister of defence. Belay previously served as the federally appointed head of the northern region of Tigray. Tigrayan forces have been fighting against the central government for 11 months.