Addis Ababa (SD) – A Somali politician has been elected as the new Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa today.

Adan Farah Ibrahim, who served as vice president of the Somali regional government, was elected by a majority vote in the upper house of parliament today.

The new Speaker is a prominent political figure in Ethiopia and has held various positions in the Somali region government including the vice presidency of the Somali region.

Adan Farah Ibrahim will be the first Somali to hold such a position in the Ethiopian government. His election comes at a time when Somalis hold only six seats at the 153-member upper house of parliament.

In Ethiopia, there is a political crisis as a result of the postponement of the election, and replaces Kheyriya Ibrahim who resigned a day ago.

The former deputy speaker of the federal parliament, Mohamed Rashid Haji, also a Somali, has resigned today, as the elected Speaker hails from the Somali region.