Ethiopia's first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde, has resigned just days before the end of her tenure, amid reports of a fallout with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Sahle-Work, who won widespread praise for her appointment by Abiy in 2018 as a step toward gender equality in Ethiopian politics, had reportedly grown disillusioned with the country's leadership.

Her resignation comes as Ethiopia's parliament confirmed Taye Astike Selassie, the former foreign minister, as her successor in the largely ceremonial role.

Selassie, 68, was sworn in on Monday, and is seen as a close ally of the prime minister, who wields the most political power in Ethiopia.

Sahle-Work's presidency, though groundbreaking, was marked by tension with Abiy in recent years. She had been notably silent about key national issues, including gender-based violence during the two-year conflict in the Tigray region.

In a post on social media platform X last Saturday, she hinted at her dissatisfaction, stating she had remained silent for the past year.

Sources close to Sahle-Work, 74, indicated that she had long been unhappy and was looking forward to the end of her term, which was due later this month.

Despite her calls for peace during her tenure, critics argue she did not speak out enough about the ongoing violence, particularly in the Oromia and Amhara regions, where federal forces are engaged in deadly clashes with local militias.