Abiy Ahmed

Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018

Abiy Ahmed Ali (Amharic: ዐብይ አሕመድ ዐሊ Oromo (*Latin text): Abiyi Ahmed Alii; (Oromo on Geez text: አቢይ አህመድ አሊ born 15 August 1976) is an Ethiopian patriot leader serving as the 4th prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia since 2 April 2018.[1][2][3] He was the third chairman of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) that governed Ethiopia for 28 years until it was dissolved and the Prosperity Party was created and the first person in that position. Abiy is an elected member of the Ethiopian parliament as Prime Minister and former member of the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), which was one of the then four coalition parties of the EPRDF, until its rule ceased in 2019 and he formed his own party, the Prosperity Party.

Abiy Ahmed
አብይ አህመድ
Abiyyi Ahimad
12th Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Assumed office
2 April 2018
PresidentMulatu Teshome
Sahle-Work Zewde
Taye Atskeselassie
DeputyDemeke Mekonnen
Preceded byHailemariam Desalegn
3rd Chairman of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Assumed office
27 March 2018
DeputyDemeke Mekonnen
Preceded byHailemariam Desalegn
Leader of the
Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
Assumed office
22 February 2018
DeputyLemma Megersa
Preceded byLemma Megersa
Minister of Science and Technology
In office
6 October 2015 – 1 November 2016
Prime MinisterHailemariam Desalegn
Preceded byDemitu Hambisa
Succeeded byGetahun Mekuria
Director of the Information Network Security Agency
Acting
In office
2008–2010
Preceded byTeklebirhan Woldearegay
Succeeded byTeklebirhan Woldearegay
Personal details
Born (1976-08-15) 15 August 1976 (age 48)
Beshasha, Kaffa Province, Socialist Ethiopia
Political partyOromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
Other political
affiliations
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Spouse(s)Zinash Tayachew
Children3 daughters and 1 son
ParentsFather Ahmed Ali Mother Tezeta Wolde
EducationMicrolink Information Technology College (BA)
University of Greenwich (MA)
Ashland University (MBA)
Addis Ababa University (PhD)
Military service
Allegiance Ethiopia
Branch/serviceEthiopian Army
Years of service1991–2010
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
UnitArmy Signals Corps
CommandsInformation Network Security Agency
Battles/warsEthiopian Civil War
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
Eritrean–Ethiopian War

As the first Ethiopian and the first African head of Government, he won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in ending the 20-year post-war territorial stalemate war between Ethiopia and Eritrea led by the then Government of Ethiopia and current Government of Eritrea. [4][5][6][7] Abiy Ahmed was sworn in on October 4, 2021, after he got first elected, his term will end after October 4, 2026. He served first as prime minister when former Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned.[8][9][10]

Early life

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Abiy Ahmed was born in the small town of Beshasha, Ethiopia. His deceased father, Ahmed Ali, was a Muslim Oromo while his deceased mother, Tezeta Wolde, was a Christian Oromo. Abiy's father was a typical Oromo farmer, speaking only Oromo, while Tezeta was a fluent speaker of both Amharic and Oromo. [11][12][13][14]

Early years

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When Abiy was a teenager, he served in the Ethiopian National defense forces fighting off the communist Derg a regime which overthrow Emperor Haile Selassie I. The later Prime Minister also served as a lieutenant Colonel for the Ethiopian National Defense Forces[15]

University

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Ahmed's education starts when he earned a bachelor's degree at "Computer Engineering from the Microlink Information Technology College in Addis Ababa in 2009." Abiy went further on and got a Master of Arts in transformational leadership degree from Greenwich University in London which is a business school. A later went on to further get more degrees. He also got a MBA degree from Leadstar College of Management and Leadership in Addis Ababa in 2013. He also In 2017, started his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and got in work as a regular student there, at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, at Addis Ababa University the oldest University in Ethiopia. He did his Ph.D. work on the Agaro constituency with his Ph.D. thesis called “Social Capital and its Role in Traditional Conflict Resolution in Ethiopia: The Case of Inter-Religious Conflict In Jimma Zone state”. Abiy published a related short research article on de-escalation strategies in the Horn of Africa in a special journal issue dedicated to countering violent extremism.[16]

Relationships

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Abiy lived in France and had a French girlfriend it is told that she loved Abiy but Abiy went to Ethiopia to pursue his political career which he later became Prime Minister. Abiy later went to Ethiopia and found a woman who he fallen in love with called Zinash Tayachew.

Director of Information Network and Security Agency.

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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed founded INSA or the Information Network Security Agency and became its director from 2008 through 2010. INSA is an organization which spies on people which the government targets it also secures and encrypts Ethiopia's cyber security. Abiy Ahmed through his jamming capabilities as learning intelligence measures in South Africa was able to create such an organization and become its director.[17]

References

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  1. "The PM | FDRE Office of the Prime Minister". Office of the Prime Minister. Archived from the original on 2019-04-20. Retrieved 2022-01-03.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. "Dr Abiy Ahmed sworn in as Prime Minister of Ethiopia". Fana Broadcasting Corporate. April 2, 2018. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "Abiy Ahmed sworn in as Ethiopia's prime minister". Aljazeera. April 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  4. "Abiy Ahmed Ali - Facts - 2019". Nobel Prize. October 11, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  5. "Nobel Peace Prize: Ethiopia PM Abiy Ahmed wins". BBC News. October 11, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  6. "Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wins Nobel Peace Prize". Duetsche Welle. October 11, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  7. "Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia's prime minister, wins 2019 Nobel peace prize". The Guardian. October 11, 2019. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  8. "On 4 October, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was officially sworn in for a second term. However, he is under fire from the international community for his government's involvement in the war in Tigray. But as long as he does what the west wants him to do, he is given a free reign to do whatever crimes he wishes to do". The Africa Report. October 6, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  9. "Ethiopian parliament confirms Abiy Ahmed as prime minister". Reuters on CNN. October 4, 2021. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  10. "Ethiopia's prime minister sworn in for a second term as war spreads". AP on PBS. October 4, 2021. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  11. "Abiy Ahmed". Britannica. Archived from the original on 2019-11-10. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  12. "Abiy Ahmed Biography". The Famous People. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  13. "In memory of PM Abiy Ahmed's father and his mother Tezeta Wolde". EthioInfo on YouTube. June 18, 2019. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  14. Endeshaw, Dawit (March 31, 2018). "The rise of Abiy "Abiyot" Ahmed". The Reporter Ethiopia. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  15. "Abiy Ahmed Biography: The Full Account of His Amazing Life Story". Allhhhiehrirhrirhdieheidabout ETHIO. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  16. "Dr Abiy Ahmed Biography; Age, Education, Daughter, Religion, Books And Family". ABTC. September 30, 2021. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  17. "Editorial: Ethiopia must end intimidation campaign against academics and activists". Awash Post. December 5, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.