Fetlework Gebregziabher

Fetlework Gebregziabher, is an Ethiopian politician from the Tigray Region and senior member of the Tigray People's Liberation Front. Fetlework was the Ethiopian minister of trade and industry from October 2018 to January 2020.

Early life

Fetlework joined the Tigray People's Liberation Front in 1979. She obtained her master's degree at the London School of Economics in the early 2000s.

Politics

After joining the TPLF in her childhood and studying at the LSE against the wishes of the TPLF leaders, Fetlework was elected to the TPLF Central Committee in 2006 and in 2010. She was elected as a member of the TPLF Executive Committee in 2015 and appointed to other senior TPLF positions during 2015–2017. In November 2017, Fetlework was elected as deputy chair of the TPLF, as the first woman to hold the position, and reelected in October 2018.

Minister

In Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed's October 2018 cabinet reshuffle, Fetlework was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry. She was replaced by Melaku Alebel in January 2020. Fetlework stated that she had not received any negative performance evaluations from either Abiy or the Cabinet. She interpreted her replacement as being motivated by the TPLF's refusal to join the Prosperity Party.