republic · Horn and East Africa

Transitional Government of Ethiopia

1991 CE – 1995 CE · capital Addis Ababa

The interim government formed by the victorious EPRDF in 1991, which accepted Eritrean independence and introduced Ethiopia's ethnic federal system.

Origins

After the fall of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in May 1991, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) convened a conference in July 1991 that adopted a Transitional Charter. Meles Zenawi, leader of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, became president of the Transitional Government.

Rule and society

The charter recognised the right of Ethiopia's nations and peoples to self-determination, up to secession, and the country was reorganised into regions largely along ethnic lines. The Oromo Liberation Front initially joined the government but withdrew in 1992. The new government accepted the independence referendum in Eritrea, which led to the creation of the State of Eritrea in 1993. The economy was opened to markets.

Decline and legacy

A constituent assembly adopted a new constitution in December 1994, and after elections in 1995 the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was proclaimed, with Meles Zenawi as prime minister.

Lineage

People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1987 CE – 1991 CETransitional Government of EthiopiaFederal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1995 CE – present

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Transitional Government of Ethiopia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/transitional-government-of-ethiopia
MLA
“Transitional Government of Ethiopia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/transitional-government-of-ethiopia. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Transitional Government of Ethiopia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/transitional-government-of-ethiopia.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Transitional Government of Ethiopia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/transitional-government-of-ethiopia (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻