The history of Ethiopia is not only Interestingly, it can also be described as a story of courage and bravery, from its emergence as an empire under the Aksumites to its present form as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The country was run by educated men. Here you can learn everything about the academic qualifications of the Ethiopian Presidents.
The journey was not so easy, considering the years of the Egyptian invasion and their heroic defeat, the first and second invasions of Italy and their repeated defeats by the Italians, the military coup and the bloodshed that took place in different eras before the emergence of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia took place in 1991.
Undoubtedly, a great many are familiar with Ethiopia. It seems that most people know little or nothing about the men who fought with their blood and also took it upon themselves to save the country’s neck many years ago .
In this article, we bring to light some unknown facts and academic qualifications of previous Ethiopian presidents, ranging from the first military president to the current President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Academic Qualifications of Ethiopian Presidents
Aman Mikael Andom (September–November 1974)
General Aman Mikael Adom was Ethiopia’s first post-imperial acting head of state. He was born to parents Ato Andom Michael and Woizero Ghidey Reda on June 21, 1924 in Khartoum, Sudan. He was originally from the village of Tsazega in the Hamassien province of Eritrea, which is why he is originally from Eritrea.
He attended Comboni College and later St. George’s Military School in Khartoum.
Aman earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University in May 1964 when he was appointed military attaché to the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, DC.
General Adom served as head of state from 12. September 1974 to November 17, 1974. He died in Addis Ababa on November 23, 1974 in a shootout with troops stationed at his home aged 50 to arrest him.
Former President Mengistu Haile Mariam (1977 -1987)
Mengistu Haile Mariam is an Ethiopian politician born September 10, 1987 in Addis Ababa. He rose to become President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in 1987 and held office until 1991.
Before his rise to number one, he was the leader of the Derg, the communist military junta that ruled Ethiopia from 1977 to 1987.
Mengistu graduated from the renowned Holetta Military Academy in the late 1960s, where he received military training in the USA.
Former Head of State Teferi Benti (1921–1977)
Like interim president Mengistu, Teferi Benti graduated from the Holetta Military Academy. He was born in October 1921 near Addis Ababa in the Ethiopian Empire.
Benti, a former chairman of Dreg, was the head of state of Ethiopia from November 28, 1974 to February 3, 1977. He died on February 3, 1977 at the age of 55.
Former Acting President Tesfaye Gebre Kidan (1991)
Tesfaye Gebre Kidan, who is known as the President of Ethiopia and has served the shortest term in office, served as President of Ethiopia for a week.
Like his predecessors, Kidan was a member of the Derg and a graduate of the Holetta Military Academy. He was President of Ethiopia from May 21, 1991 to May 27, 1991. He died on June 2, 2004 at Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Transitional government of Ethiopia
Former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (1955–2012)
Meles was born Legesse Meles Asres on May 9, 1955 in Adwa, Ethiopia. He was sworn in as Ethiopia’s 10th Prime Minister on August 23, 1995.
However, he was acting president of the East African country from May 8, 1991 to August 22, 1995.
Zenawi received his undergraduate education from the Queen of Sheba Junior School in Adwa and his high school diploma from the prestigious General Wingate High School in Addis Ababa on a full scholarship, which he completed in 1972.
After graduating from high school, Meles began studying medicine at Addis Ababa University (formerly Haile Selassie University) for two years. In 1974 he left the university to join the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) with other students.
In 1995, Meles was awarded an MBA (Master of Business Administration) from the Open University of the United Kingdom. In 2004 he received a Master of Science in Economics from the Erasmus University of the Netherlands.
In July 2002, Zenawi was awarded an honorary doctorate in political science from Hannam University in South Korea.
Meles Zenawi died in Belgium on August 20, 2012 from an infection that brought his 21-year tenure to an abrupt end.
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Former President Negasso Gidada (1995 – 2001)
dr Negasso Gidada Solon took over as President of Ethiopia on August 22, 1995. He resigned from his post at the end of his term on October 8, 2001.
Solon, born September 3, 1943, received his doctorate in social history from the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. He currently works as a part-time Lecturer in History at the University of Addis Ababa.
He was the first President to take office after the founding of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia in 1995.
Former President Girma Wolde-Giorgis (2001-2013)
Girma Wolde-Giorgis was born on December 28, 1924 and is the former President of Ethiopia. He rose to the prestigious position on October 8, 2001 and served until October 7, 2013.
He attended Ethiopian Orthodox Church school and later attended Teferi Mekonnen School in Addis Ababa, where he continued his education until the Italian invasion. The school was then renamed “Scuola Principe di Piemonte” (School of the Prince of Piedmont) for the Crown Prince of Italy in Addis Ababa.
In 1944, Wolde-Giorgis went to Genet Military School in Holeta, Ethiopia, graduating as a second lieutenant.
Between 1950 and 1952 he earned certificates in Management in the Netherlands, Air Traffic Management in Sweden and Air Traffic Control in Canada through a training program sponsored by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
See also: Academic Qualifications of Kenyan Presidents: 1964 to Present
Mulatu Teshome (Accepted office in 2013)
Mulatu Teshome, Ethiopia’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, took office as the country’s President on October 7, 2013.
He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy of political economy and his doctorate in international law from Peking University in Beijing, China.
He was then admitted to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, from where he received his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy in 1990.
He was born in Arjo, Ethiopia on January 1, 1955 and has only one son.