Ethiopia: PM Abiy Promotes Dozens of Senior Officers in Major Army Reshuffle

20 September 2025
Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

Addis Abeba — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the national army, on Saturday elevated a total of 66 officers across the highest ranks of the military hierarchy. The list of officers was presented to President Taye Atske-Selassie who approved the promotions, a major round in recent years within the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF).

At the top, four senior officers were promoted to the rank of General. They are: Lt. General Alemishet Degfie, Lt. General Desta Abiche, Lt. General Yimer Mekonnen, and Lt. General Diriba Mekonnen.

Two others, Major General Kefyalew Amdie Tessema and Major General Kindu Gezu Tegegn, were elevated to the rank of Lt. General.

Seventeen officers were promoted to Major General, including Brigadier General Tadesse Amelo Siesa, Brigadier General Bulti Tadesse Ketila, Brigadier General Hailu Endeshaw Atomsa, and Brigadier General Wagnew Aleme Ayalew.

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A further 43 officers were promoted to Brigadier General, among them, Colonel Girma Feye Kebede, Colonel Demeke Mengistu Tsedue, Colonel Temesgen Asmamaw Asnake, Colonel Getnet Adane Kassa, Colonel Yohannes Mekonnen Ejeta, Colonel Ababu Tesheme Legesse, Colonel Alemu Kitata Wereta, Colonel Jemal Kedir Bedassa, Colonel Genet Yimam Tadesse, and Colonel Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed.

See the full list of the 66 army officers promoted today.

The reshuffle marks one of the most extensive promotions in the ENDF in recent years, expanding the army leadership pool at a time when Ethiopia continues facing evolving security challenges due in large part to the ongoing insurgencies in Oromia and Amhara regions, and renewed regional tensions over access to the Red Sea.

Since taking office in 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has overseen repeated reshuffles within the ENDF, police, and intelligence services.

His last major reshuffle was on 08 November 2020, just days after the outbreak of the devastating war in the Tigray region, in which an unprecedented overhaul in the security sector saw the replacement of the leadership of the armed forces, the intelligence services, and the federal police.

The same sweeping reshuffle also extended to the country's diplomatic corps, with the replacement of the foreign minister.

In the most significant move, General Berhanu Jula, who had been serving as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), was appointed as the new Chief of Staff, replacing General Adem Mohammed. Lt.

He had since Jan. 2022 been promoted for Field Marshall, a military rank that had not been used in Ethiopia's military history.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.

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