Ethiopia establishes six-month caretaker administration in Tigray region
ADDIS ABABA, October 16, 2026 (ENA) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has established a six-month caretaker administration to govern the Tigray Region, with a mandate to restore security, rebuild public institutions, rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and prepare the region for elections.
According to a report by the Ethiopia News Agency (ENA), the Office of the Prime Minister announced that the Federal Caretaker Administration was established pursuant to the Ethiopian Constitution and relevant legislation, following a decision by the House of Federation to establish a provisional administration in the region.
The federal government said the arrangement was intended to restore peace and stability in Tigray, revive public services and enable residents to return to normal life after years of conflict and disruption.
In its statement, the Office of the Prime Minister accused the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leadership of obstructing efforts to resolve the conflict through the Pretoria Agreement. These allegations were presented by the Ethiopian government and were not independently verified in the ENA report.
The government said the six-month caretaker administration would focus on restoring security, rebuilding collapsed government structures, repairing war-damaged infrastructure and resuming social services that had been suspended across the region.
A key responsibility will be to create conditions for free and transparent elections within six months, allowing Tigray to return to an elected system of regional governance within Ethiopia’s federal structure.
The administration will also coordinate with federal defence, police and security institutions, alongside Tigray’s security forces, to maintain stability across the region’s administrative levels. It is further expected to facilitate the disarmament and rehabilitation of armed groups willing to return to civilian life and support the restructuring of the regional security apparatus.
According to ENA, the caretaker administration will oversee efforts to return displaced residents to their homes, restore public confidence, support reconstruction and coordinate public communication and community engagement initiatives aimed at consolidating peace.
The federal government said it would provide direction, guidance, support and monitoring for the administration’s activities.
Until a democratically elected government is established, the caretaker administration will not make decisions with long-term strategic implications, focusing instead on routine regional administration, the delivery of public services and preparations for elections.
New caretaker administration officials appointed
The Office of the Prime Minister announced the appointment of five officials to lead the caretaker administration’s principal portfolios.
Assefa Abraha Hagos has been appointed Chief Executive for Administration and Public Service, while Dr Tewodros Aregai W/Selassie will oversee Economy and Reconstruction.
Brigadier General Gebre-Egziabher Beyene Hailu has been appointed Chief Executive for Security and Peace, and Redai Halefom W/Selassie will lead Politics and Public Organization. Dr Shishay Amare has been appointed Mayor of Mekelle City.
The government said the caretaker administration’s activities must be guided by Ethiopia’s national interests, the country’s territorial integrity and the fundamental interests of the people of Tigray.
The six-month arrangement marks a significant federal intervention in the region’s administration, with its stated objectives centred on restoring security, reviving public institutions and creating conditions for an elected regional government.
Its implementation, particularly efforts to consolidate peace, rebuild public services and organise elections within the stipulated period, will be central to determining whether the caretaker administration achieves its stated goals.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency (ENA), October 16, 2026.
