Forbes Thursday listed President Sahle-Work Zewde among the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
According to Forbes, the women who made the 17th annual list hail from 30 countries and were born across four generations.
There are 10 heads of state, 38 CEOs and five entertainers among them.
But where they differ in age, nationality and job description, they are united in the ways they have been using their platforms to address the unique challenges of 2020.
It further noted that Sahle-Work Zewde became Ethiopia’s first woman president and the only serving female head of state in Africa in October 2018.
A seasoned diplomat and veteran of the United Nations, Sahle-Work was appointed with a unanimous vote by parliament.
In her first address to parliament, the president promised to be a voice for women and stressed the importance of unity.
The appointment joins a series of unprecedented shifts as part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s reforms focused on easing government control.
“Traditionally a ceremonial role, Sahle-Work’s appointment is a tremendously symbolic move for the conservative country, opening the door for gender parity,” according to Forbes.
MG/abj/APA