South Ethiopia | Regional Profile

Last updated: 08/08/2024

South Ethiopia region was established as a new region on 19 August 2023.¹ Its administration seat is Wolayta Sodo in Wolayta zone and its council’s seat is in Arba Minch in Gamo zone.² The region is comprised of six zones and five special woredas — namely Wolayta, Gedio, Gamo, Gofa, South Omo, and Konso zones, as well as Amaro, Basketo, Burji, Derashe, and Ale Special woredas. Previously, these areas were part of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region (SNNPR). SNNPR consisted of 56 ethnic groups that were considered Indigenous³ before it was split into four regions — Sidama region, South West Ethiopia Peoples region, Central Ethiopia region, and South Ethiopia Peoples region – between 2019 and 2023 (for more, see the EPO’s SNNPR page).

In August 2022, the government announced its intention to establish two new ‘cluster’ regions in SNNPR through a referendum.⁴ The proposal outlined that one cluster region would encompass six zones and five special woredas – Wolayta, Gedio, Gamo, Gofa, South Omo, and Konso zones, along with Amaro, Basketo, Burji, Derashe, and Ale Special woredas. The second cluster region would consist of five zones and one special woreda – Hadiya, Kembata, Halaba, Gurage, and Silte zones, and Yem Special woreda (for more, see the EPO Monthly: July 2022). With the exception of the Gurage Zone Council, the other zonal and special woreda councils accepted this proposal and submitted their decision to the House of Federation to initiate the referendum.⁵

Due to the Gurage Zone Council’s refusal to accept the decision to form a region with other zones and special woredas (for more, see the EPO Central Ethiopia Region page), the House of Federation decided to hold a referendum in the first cluster region.⁶ Subsequently, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) held a referendum in the areas under the first cluster on 6 February 2023. The voting process proceeded smoothly in most areas, with no major incidents reported. However, in Serto kebele in Wolayta zone, the NEBE temporarily halted the voting process due to concerns over the distribution of 105 identity cards by kebele administration officials to voters.⁷ Additionally, discrepancies related to voter registration and an unmatched number of voters and registered voters were observed in various polling stations in Wolayta zone. As a result, the NEBE decided to cancel the referendum in the zone.⁸ Furthermore, the NEBE canceled the outcomes of 81 polling stations in the remaining five zones and five special woredas due to various election discrepancies. Despite these cancellations, the NEBE determined that they would not significantly impact the overall outcome. Therefore, the NEBE released the results of the referendum in the remaining zones and special woredas, which indicated that the majority of voters supported the establishment of a new regional state.⁹

On 19 December 2018, the Wolayta Zone Council unanimously voted for the establishment of their own regional state and submitted their decision to the SNNPR Council. However, the SNNPR Council did not respond to this request for regional statehood by Wolayta officials (for more, see the EPO Wolayta Conflict profile). Thus, when the idea of forming a region with other zones and special woredas was suggested, not all residents of Wolayta zone embraced it. It is speculated that the reported election irregularities in 2023 may have been connected to the Wolayta Zone Council’s request for self-administration. Another round of referendum voting took place in Wolayta on 19 June 2023.¹⁰ Despite some reported irregularities during this second round, the NEBE released the final outcome of the vote, which indicated that the majority had voted for the establishment of the 12th region of the country – South Ethiopia region.¹¹

There has been sporadic conflict at the border of Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones since 2018 (see map below). The conflict began after Konso woreda became a separate zone, previously belonging to Segen Area Peoples zone, along with Amaro, Burji, Derashe, and Ale woredas. Prior to the establishment of Segen Area Peoples zone on 28 March 2011,¹² Amaro, Burji, Derashe, and Konso had the status of special woredas – i.e. they were semi-autonomous and reported directly to the SNNPR Council rather than the zonal administrative level.

Map - SEPR - Political violence in South Ethiopia Peoples' region 1 April 2018 - 1 April 2024

When Konso gained the status of a zone in November 2018, it triggered violent conflict as different groups fought for territory and political influence. The remaining four woredas — Derashe, Amaro, Burji, and Ale — in Segen Area Peoples zone became separate woredas within the zone. Consequently, the Segen City Administration and its 17 kebeles were split among these four woredas and Konso zone. This was opposed by people who identified themselves as ‘Gumayde People’ and sought to establish the ‘Gumayde People’s Special Woreda Structure.’¹³ Before the implementation of ethnic federalism in Ethiopia in the 1990s, these 17 kebeles were under one woreda known as Gumayde woreda. However, the request by the Gumayde people was rejected by the administration of Konso zone and Amaro and Burji woredas, who argued that the request was made by multiple ethnic groups without their own land, people, or structure (for more, see the EPO Konso and Segen Area Peoples Zones Conflict page).

The conflict in Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones has been characterized by ethnic-based violence over administrative borders. In an attempt to resolve this conflict, the new South Ethiopia Region Council decided to transform Amaro, Basketo, Burji, Derashe, and Ale woredas into separate zones. The council also decided to split South Omo zone into two zones, with one comprising Male, Hamer, Bena Tsemay, Selamago, Ngangatom, and Dasenech woredas, and Turmi town, and the other consisting of South Ari, Weba Ari, Baka Dawla, and North Ari woredas, as well as Jinka and Gelila towns.¹⁴