Ethiopia's ruling coalition will meet next week to choose a successor to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn whose surprise resignation last month has sparked a rare succession race, state media reported Wednesday. Hailemariam's decision to step down was unprecedented in the 27-year reign of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and analysts say it is unclear who the party will pick to replace him. The next prime minister will be chosen by the EPRDF council, a 180-person body composed of party officials. The last time Ethiopia declared a state of emergency was in October 2016 after months of anti-government protests by the country's two largest ethnicities the Oromo and Amhara that left hundreds dead.

Source: Ethiopian News March 07, 2018 13:30 UTC