የኢትዮዽያውያን ዴሞክራቶች ድረ-ገፅEthiopian Democrats' Website

Source: Reporter;

The recent cabinet reshufflement by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has caught many political commentators completely off guard.

From assigning one individual to assume the key cabinet positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to incorporating a non party member in the cabinet, Meles has managed to make the jaws of pundits and the public at large to drop in surprise.

And in the middle of the week the Office of the Prime Minister released the names of 36 individuals who will represent the country on the global arena. The list includes long serving ministers like Seyoum Mesfin and Girma Birru and state ministers like Tekeda Alemu (PhD). Though the old hands were appointed as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, there is a perception within the public that the appointment is actually is a demotion for some. Also the ones who would fill the crucial vacant posts like Washington DC, New York and Brussels have left political commentators anticipating who would end up where.

Still some are arguing that the deployment of veterans in foreign relations like Seyoum and Tekeda and other bigwig politicians in the international scene could imply that the current administration is placing greater emphasis on the country’s foreign relations. See the list of the appointees below.

1. Seyoum Mesfin

2. Girma Birru

3. Dr. Kassu Illala

4. Ambassador Teshome Toga

5. Degife Bula.

6. Mulugeta Alemseged

7. Hilawe Yosef

8. Ambassador Mohammed Dirir

9. Hassan Abdella

10. Dr. Tekeda Alemu

11. Gifti Abasiya

12. Dr. Mohammed Hassan

13. Kassahun Dendir

14. Dr. Yehsimebrat Mersha

15. Markos Tekle

16. Lelalem Gebreyohannes

17. Dr. Bogale Tolosa

18. Minelik Alemu

19. Dr. Mohammed Gudeta

20. Misganaw Admasu

21. Ambassador Dr. Kua Wang Tutlam were appointed as special envoys and ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiaries of Ethiopia.

22. Merwan Bedri

23. Ababi Demise

24. Dr. Gebeyeu Ganga

25. Mule Tarekegn

26. Tesfaye Yilma

27. Tebeje Berhe

28. Bereded Animut

29. Dereje Asfaw

30. Ambassador Aman Hassan

31. Alemayehu Sewagegn

32. Mesfin Chernet

33. Dr. Bitew Getnet

34. Shamilo Fitamo

35. Ambassador Mohammed Ali

36. Dr. Desta Woldeyohannes were appointed as ambassadors of Ethiopia.