Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed  has appointed Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede as the interim head of the Tigray Regional State Administration for a one-year term, following the dismissal of Ato Getachew Reda. The decision marks a shift in the region’s political landscape as Ethiopia navigates the complexities of post-conflict governance.

The Tigray Interim Administration was established in March 2023 under the Pretoria Peace Agreement to facilitate regional stabilization after the northern conflict. However, internal divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have contributed to ongoing political tensions. In October 2024, the TPLF, under Debretsion Gebremichael’s leadership, announced the removal of Getachew Reda and several other officials from the interim administration, underscoring factional rifts within the party.

Addressing parliament on March 20, 2025, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reaffirmed the need for the interim administration’s continuation for another year, signaling possible leadership changes. He commended Getachew Reda for his role in preventing further conflict and emphasized the necessity of preserving the fragile peace achieved through the Pretoria Agreement.

General Tadesse, who previously served as deputy president of the interim administration and head of the cabinet secretariat for peace and security, assumes leadership amid these political complexities. He has pledged to prevent political disputes from escalating into security threats and has rejected external interference in Tigray’s governance.

The leadership transition is expected to influence the region’s political trajectory, reinforce stability, and ensure the sustained implementation of the peace accord.