(2 minutes read)
· Ethiopia has a new head of the Information Network Security
Agency ( INSA); the national cyber security outfit tasked with
safeguarding the
· Notably, a slew of appointments/reshuffling were made,
purportedly to prepare him for the next general election.
Ethiopia has a new head of the Information Network Security Agency (
INSA); the national cyber security outfit tasked with safeguarding the
country’s information and information infrastructures.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed Shumete Gizaw, who is
his current chief of staff as the new head of the Information Network
Security Agency (INSA), which is the national cyber security outfit.
Gizaw is Abiy’s third chief of staff to be appointed since April
2018, after Abiy has taken over as the prime minister.
Notably, a slew of appointments/reshuffling were made, purportedly to
prepare him for next general election. They include iMesfin Melaku as
Head of Special Office of the Prime Minister; Worku Gachena as
Director General of Artificial Intelligence Research and Development
Center and Zelalem Mengiste as deputy federal police chief.
The name of the next chief of staff has still not announced and many
names are tossed for this coveted post. Names of Fitsum Arega, who is
currently Ethiopia’s ambassador to the United States and Shimelis
Abdissa, president of the Oromia regional state are said to be the
front runners for the post of chief of staff.
INSA was established for the first time in 2006 by Council of
Ministers to defend the country’s information and information
infrastructure from attack, and for protecting the national security
interest. There are talks about amending the agency’s powers and
functions to prevent cybercrimes.
