Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been sworn in for a five-year after his election victory in June. Ahmed took the oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi, on Monday after speaker and deputy speaker of the parliament's lower house took theirs. "I Abiy Ahmed Ali, today in the House of People's Representatives, accept the appointment as prime minister, as I pledge to undertake responsibly and with faith, to the constitution, the responsibility placed upon me by the people," he said while being sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi. "Today is a milestone yet only a beginning of a season of hope." "The road ahead might be daunting, but we shall not be weary," Ahmed's senior adviser Mamo Mihretu said on Twitter. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari witnessed the inauguration of Ahmed. After a landslide election victory for his Prosperity Party in June, Ahmed's new government still faces a host of challenges, including the deadly conflict in Tigray.
Back in June, the prime minister's party won 410 of the 436 parliamentary seats that were contested.
Three regions where elections had been delayed voted last month. Voting did not take place in the northern Tigray region which is under the control of regional forces opposed to the government in Addis Ababa.
The election marked the first time Abiy faced voters since he was appointed prime minister in 2018 following several years of anti-government protests.
He was appointed following the resignation of Hailemariam Desalegn. He had served at different high-level positions, including as minister of science and technology.
