 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
On 6 February 2023 a referendum was held in the Wolayita, Gamo, Gofa, South Omo, Gedeo, and Konso Zones, as well as the Dirashe, Amaro, Burji, Ale, and Basketo special woredas of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNP) of Ethiopia, on whether the included areas should leave SNNP and form their own Region.
This referendum follows two previous referendums from 2019 and 2021 in other areas of the then-SNNP, both of which resulted in votes to split off into new regions.
The referendum was tentatively approved, although Wolayita Zone had to rerun voting after it was found that irregularities were present. The approval of the new region in the other zones and woredas was conveyed to the national House of Federation by the SNNP government. The new region's name was set as the South Ethiopia Region. Wolayita Zone reran the referendum successfully in the summer, with a majority also voting in favor of a new region. The House of Federation unanimously voted in favour of the creation of the new region on 5 July 2023.[1][2] The remaining part of the SNNP was renamed to the Central Ethiopia Region.[3][4]
- ^ "Ethiopia: Upper House votes to form 12th regional state". Africanews. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ^ "News: Ethiopia House of Federation officiates creation of new state in Southern Ethiopia". Addis Standard. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ^ "Central Ethiopia, Southern Ethiopia Regional States Established". ENA English. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ^ Account (20 August 2023). "Ethiopia's two new regional states formed : Central Ethiopia, South Ethiopia". Borkena Ethiopian News. Retrieved 14 September 2023.