Ethiopia elects new president

The Ethiopian Parliament on Monday elected Mulatu Teshome new president in replacement of Girma Wolde-Giorgis, who had served two six-year terms. Mulatu, who used to be the East African country's ambassador to Turkey, was elected at a joint session of the House of Peoples Representatives (HPR) and the House of Federation (HoF) to serve the next term of six years. The 57-year-old new president, born in Arjo town, Eastern Wolega Zone of the Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia, received education in China, where he was awarded degrees up to PhD. Before elected president, Mulatu had also held government positions including speaker of the House of Federation, state minister of finance and economic development and minister of agriculture. On the occasion of his election, Abadula Gemeda, speaker of the House of Peoples Representative, said the new president received education in China, where he obtained his first degree in philosophy of political economy and his second degree and doctorate degree in international law. The new president had pursued other studies in other foreign universities while participating in different researches and teaching at foreign universities and institutions, according to the speaker. Taking over the presidency from his predecessor, Mulatu said he felt honored by being elected the fourth president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, vowing to contribute more to the on-going development and growth of the country. The new president was sworn in at the ceremony presided over by Tegene Getaneh, president of the Supreme Court in the country. In a speech to mark the occasion, out-going president Girma expressed best wishes to new president Mulatu.