Political Leaders: Ethiopia

Leaders of Ethiopia
(Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia)

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Parties: ADP: Amhara Democratic Party, founded in 1982 as Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (EPDM), renamed Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) in 1994, renamed ADP on 30 Sep 2018, merged into PP on 1 Dec 2019 - EPRDF: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, founded in May 1988 as a coaliton of TPLF, ODPO/ODP, EPDM/ANDM/ADP and SEPDF/SEPDM, dissolved on 1 Dec 2019 to become PP) - EWP: Ethiopian Workers' Party (1984-1991) - ODP: Oromo Democratic Party, founded in Mar 1982 as Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization (OPDO), renamed ODP on 20 Sep 2018, merged into PP on 1 Dec 2019 - PP: Prosperity Party (founded on 1 Dec 2019 from the merger of ADP, ODP and SEPDM - SEPDM: Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement, founded in 1992 as Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Front (SEPDF), then renamed SEPDM, merged into PP on 1 Dec 2019 - TPLF: Tigray People's Liberation Front, founded on 18 Feb 1975

Heads of State

Emperor (Negus)
Haile Selassie I             3 Apr 1930 - 12 Sep 1974 (†1975) (1)

Chairmen of the Provisional Military Administration Council  
Aman Mikael Andom           12 Sep 1974 - 17 Nov 1974 (†1974) military (2)
Mengistu Haile Mariam       17 Nov 1974 - 28 Nov 1974         military (2)
Tafari Benti                28 Nov 1974 -  3 Feb 1977 (†1977) military (2)
Mengistu Haile Mariam       11 Feb 1977 - 10 Sep 1987         military/EWP

Presidents of the Republic
Mengistu Haile Mariam       10 Sep 1987 - 21 May 1991         EWP
Tesfaye Gebre Kidan         21 May 1991 - 27 May 1991 (†2004) EWP (acting)

President of the Provisional Government 
Meles Zenawi                27 May 1991 - 22 Aug 1995 (†2012) TPLF/EPRDF (interim) (3)

Presidents of the Republic
Negaso Gidada               22 Aug 1995 -  8 Oct 2001 (†2019) OPDO/EPRDF
Girma Wolde-Giyorgis Lucha   8 Oct 2001 -  7 Oct 2013 (†2018) EPRDF
Mulatu Teshome Wirtu         8 Oct 2013 - 25 Oct 2018         OPDO/EPRDF
Sahle-Work Zewde            25 Oct 2018 -                     n/p

(1) Ruler in exile during Italian occupation, from May 1936 to 18 Jan 1941.
(2) Nominally heads of State for King Asfa Wossen Haile Selassie (son of Negus Haile Selassie I, crowned in 1989 in exile as Amha Selassie I), who did not assume this office from 12 Sep 1974 to abolition of monarchy on 21 Mar 1975.
(3) Prime minister acting as interim president. Meles Zenawi ruled as chairman of the Supreme Council of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) to 23 Jul 1991.

Prime Ministers

Makonnen Endelkacew                1942 -  1 Nov 1957 (†1963) n/p          
Abebe Aragai                27 Nov 1957 - 15 Dec 1960 (†1960) n/p
Aklilu Abte-Wold            17 Apr 1961 -  1 Mar 1974 (†1974) n/p
Endelkacew Makonnen          1 Mar 1974 - 22 Jul 1974 (†1974) n/p
Mikael Imru                  3 Aug 1974 - 12 Sep 1974 (†2008) n/p
Fikre Selassie Wogderess    10 Sep 1987 -  8 Nov 1989 (†2020) EWP 
Haile Yimenu                 8 Nov 1989 - 26 Apr 1991 (†1991) EWP (acting)
Tesfaye Dinka               26 Apr 1991 -  6 Jun 1991 (†2016) EWP (acting)
Tamirat Layne                6 Jun 1991 - 22 Aug 1995         EPDM (acting to 29 Jul 1991)
Meles Zenawi                22 Aug 1995 - 20 Aug 2012 (†2012) TPLF/EPRDF
Hailemariam Desalegn        20 Aug 2012 -  2 Apr 2018         SEPDM/EPRDF (acting to 21 Sep 2012, caretaker from 15 Feb 2018)
Abiy Ahmed Ali               2 Apr 2018 -                     ODP/EPRDF, PP

Chairmen of EPRDF, PP

Meles Zenawi                1988-2012 (†2012) TPLF
Hailemariam Desalegn        2012-2018         SEPDM
Abiy Ahmed Ali              2018-             ODP, PP

Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Aklilu Abte-Wold            1943-1958 (†1974) (acting to 1949) n/p
Yilma Deressa               1958-1960 (†1979) n/p        
Haddis Alemayehu            1960-1961 (†2003) n/p
Mikael Imru                 1961      (†2008) n/p
Ketema Yifru                1961-1971 (†1994) n/p
Minasse Haile               1971-1974         n/p             
Zewde Gabre-Selassie        1974      (†2008) n/p
Kifle Wodajo                1974-1977 (†2004) n/p
Feleke Gedle-Giyorgis       1977-1983         EWP
Goshu Wolde                 1983-1986         EWP
Berhanu Bayih               1986-1989         EWP
Tesfaye Dinka               1989-1991 (†2016) EWP
Tesfaye Tadesse             1991
Seyoum Mesfin               1991-2010 (†2021) TPLF/EPRDF
Hailemariam Desalegn        2010-2012         SEPDM/EPRDF           
Berhane Gebre-Christos      2012              TPLF/EPRDF (acting)
Tedros Adhanom              2012-2016         TPLF/EPRDF                        
Workneh Gebeyehu            2016-2019         OPDO/EPRDF                    
Gedu Andargachew            2019-2020         SEPDM/EPRDF, PP          
Demeke Mekonnen Hassen      2020-             PP