Ethiopia welcomes 2019 as Enkutatash falls on 11 September
Ethiopia marked the start of 2019 in its calendar on 11 September 2026, with New Year greetings and a community holiday meal attended by Abiy Ahmed and Zinash Tayachew.
In short
- Ethiopia marked the start of 2019 in its calendar on 11 September 2026, with New Year greetings and a community holiday meal attended by Abiy Ahmed and Zinash Tayachew.
Ethiopia welcomed the year 2019 in its calendar on 11 September 2026, marking Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year.
The holiday falls on Meskerem 1, the first day of the Ethiopian calendar year. This year's observance is on a Friday and is a public holiday, according to the calendar service Time and Date.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew joined members of a local community for a New Year meal, according to reports from Fana Media Corporation and the Ethiopian News Agency, the latter carried by AllAfrica. The reports described the gathering as part of the tradition of sharing holiday meals.
Fana also reported New Year greetings from African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The messages accompanied the calendar change, which places Ethiopia in 2019 while the Gregorian year remains 2026.
