Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede has been appointed as the interim president of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, replacing Getachew Reda amid escalating political divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Before his appointment, Tadesse served as deputy president in the region’s interim administration and held the position of head of the Cabinet Secretariat for Peace and Security. His new role comes with a critical mandate: to oversee the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original communities and to fast-track the disarmament and reintegration of former combatants, as outlined in the 2022 Pretoria Peace Agreement.
In a one-page declaration he signed upon his appointment, Tadesse committed to these priorities, which are seen as essential to securing lasting peace and stability in the war-torn region.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior government officials and the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, signaling strong regional and continental interest in the ongoing developments in Tigray.
Tadesse’s appointment follows deepening internal rifts within the TPLF, the region’s dominant political force. Discontent over Reda’s leadership had been building for over a year, with party hardliners pushing for his removal and attempting to replace him and other cabinet members with loyalists.
Tensions came to a head in March when armed forces loyal to the TPLF seized control of key towns, including Adigrat—the region’s second-largest city. Reda labeled the takeover a “coup” and fled to the capital, Addis Ababa, as fears of renewed conflict loomed.
Observers warn that the ongoing political power struggle within the TPLF could undermine the fragile peace established after two years of brutal civil war, which ended with the signing of the Pretoria Agreement.
The international community and local stakeholders will be closely watching Lt. Gen. Taddese’s administration as it navigates the complex path of reconciliation, disarmament, and rebuilding trust in Tigray’s future.
