Sahle-Work Zewde

**Sahle-Work Zewde** (Amharic: ሣህለ ወርቅ ዘውዴ; dem born am 21 February 1950) be Ethiopian diplomat wey serve as president of Ethiopia from 2018 to 2024, de first woman wey hold de office. Dem elect am as president unanimously by members of de Federal Parliamentary Assembly for 25 October 2018 top.

American business magazine *Forbes*, for ein annual edition of de *Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women* top, wey dem list Sahle-Work as de 93rd most powerful woman for de world insyd, wey dey make am de highest-ranking African woman for de list top.

## Ein early life den education
Dem born am for Addis Ababa insyd, Sahle-Work be Amhara origin. She be de first born out of four kiddies. She go primary den secondary school at Lycée Guebre-Mariam for Addis Ababa insyd, after wey she study natural science at de University of Montpellier, France. She be fluent for Amharic, French, den English. 

## Ein career

### Diplomatic career
Sahle-Work be only de second woman wey dem appoint an ambassador for Ethiopian history (ambassador Yodit Emiru be de first woman to hold an ambassadorship).  She serve as de ambassador of both de communist People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia den post-civil war Transitional Government of Ethiopia.

A veteran for de Ethiopian foreign service insyd, Sahle-Work serve as Ambassador to Senegal, plus accreditation to Mali, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia den Guinea, from 1989 to 1993. From 1993 to 2002, she be Ambassador to Djibouti den Permanent Representative to de *Intergovernmental Authority on Development* (IGAD). Dis be a prominent position, as Djibouti be de landlocked country ein primary route to sea trade. Ein involvement here give am experience for trade issues insyd. She hold dis position until 2002. She later serve as Ambassador to France, Permanent Representative to de *United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization* (UNESCO) den dem accredit am to Tunisia den Morocco from 2002 to 2006.

Sahle-Work subsequently hold oda high level positions wey dey include Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to de African Union den de United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) den Director-General give African Affairs for de Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia insyd. 

### Career plus de United Nations
Until 2011, Sahle-Work serve as Special Representative of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon den Head of de *United Nations Integrated Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic* (BINUCA).
For 2011 insyd, Ban appoint Sahle-Work as Director-General of de United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Under Sahle-Work, de Nairobi office becam a more important UN hub give East den Central Africa, according to de 2012 *Africa Yearbook*. 

For June 2018 insyd, Secretary-General António Guterres appoint Sahle-Work as ein Special Representative to de African Union den Head of de *United Nations Office to the African Union* (UNOAU) at de level of Under-Secretary-General of de United Nations. She be de first woman wey hold de post. By dis time, dem expect dat Sahle-Work dey prepare to retire.

### President of Ethiopia
President Mulatu Teshome resign suddenly for 24 October 2018 top, den Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed choose Sahle-Work as Teshome ein successor. Dis appointment be one of several by Abiy to seek gender equality for de government top, as he believe dat dis be step toward dey eliminate discrimination for society insyd. Sahle-Work ein appointment as president of Ethiopia, unanimously, de Federal Parliamentary Assembly approve am for 25 October top. She be de first woman to serve for de role insyd den de fourth president since dem elect de ruling *Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front* (EPRDF) coalition for de newly established Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for 1995 insyd. Dem expect am to serve two six-year terms.

Prior to ein presidency, Sahle-Work get no experience for domestic politics insyd. Although eiin role be largely ceremonial (plus most executive power wey lie plus de prime minister), Sahle-Work ein election make am Ethiopia ein first female head of state since Empress Zewditu. At de time dem appoint am, Sahle-Work be de only female head of state for Africa insyd, den by 2021, she be one of two alongside Samia Suluhu of Tanzania.
For 25 March 2020 top, Sahle-Work announce forTwitter top dat she pardon more dan 4,000 prisoners for a move insyd to curb de spread of de COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. She sanso pardon more dan 1,500 prisoners for 2 April 2020 top.
For 19 December 2020 top, Sahle-Work commute de death sentences of former Derg officials Berhanu Bayeh den Adis Tedla to life imprisonment. Dem grant dem safe haven for de Italian embassy soon after de Derg regime ein collapse for 1991 insyd den dem dey live der eva since. Italy refuse to give dem up sekof ein long-standing opposition to capital punishment. Dem sentence Berhanu den Adis insyd absentia to death for 2008 insyd, but wer subsequently grant parole for 24 December top.
Sahle-Work demand an end to de Tigray War between de Ethiopian government den de Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) thru "negotiations without any conditions", though she sanso support countering TPLF attacks *"with the necessary measures"*.

## References


## External links

*United Nations Press Release