Ministry of Defense (Ethiopia)

The Ministry of National Defense of Ethiopia is a cabinet-level office in charge of defense related matters of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It oversees the Ethiopian National Defense Force and Ethiopian Defense Industry. The current minister is Lemma Megersa.[1]

Minister of Defense of Ethiopia የኢ.ፌ.ዴ.ሪ መከላከያ ሚኒስቴር
Incumbent Lemma Megersa since 18 April 2019
Appointer	Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Website	Ministry of Defense - Ethiopia

This institution can trace its origins back to the Ministry of War, which Emperor Menelik II established in 1907, and made Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis Minister over it.[2] Emperor Haile Selassie re-established the Ministry of War in 1942, making Ras Abebe Aregai its Minister.[3]

The Ministry is headed by a civilian minister which is a requirement of Article 87 of the current constitution of Ethiopia. It was established 23 August 1995 with the passing of Proclamation 4/1995, which also established the other 14 Ministries.[4]

List of ministers

Minister of War,

• Habte Giyorgis: 1907 – ?
• Mulugeta Yeggazu: 1926 - 1936
• Abebe Aregai: 1942 – ?
• Birru Walda Gabriel[5]
• Abebe Aregai: 1947–1949
• Abiye Abebe: 1949 – ?

Minister of Defense

• Abebe Aregai:1955 – 17 December 1960
• Abiye Abebe: 28 February 1974 – 22 July 1974
• Kebede Gebre[6]
• Merid Mengesha[6]
• Abieye Abebe[6]
• Abdulahi Umer[6]
• Aman Andom[6]
• Wakjira Sarda[6]
• Tesfaye Gebre Kidan[6]
• Haile Giorgis Habte Mariam[6]
• Kuma Demeksa: 2005 – 30 October 2008
• Siraj Fegessa: 30 October 2008 – 16 October 2018
• Aisha Mohammed Mussa: 16 October 2018 – 18 April 2019
• Lemma Megersa: 18 April 2019 – 12 August 2020

See also

• DAVEC

References

Citations

1. "House approves new cabinet". Fanabc.
2. Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, second edition (London: James Currey, 2001), p. 115
3. Margary Perham, The Government of Ethiopia, second edition (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), p. 85
4. Text of the proclamation (accessed 13 July 2010)
5. Perham 1969, p. 85. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPerham1969 (help)
6. Ginbot 7 2010, p. 9.

Bibliography

• Ginbot 7 (12 February 2010). "The Ethiopian Military Leadership Under Haile Selassie and Derge Regimes" (PDF). Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy. Retrieved 23 June 2019. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)