Mulatu Teshome Wirtu (Oromo: Mulaatuu Tashoome Wirtuu; Amharic: ሙላቱ ተሾመ ውርቱ; born 1957[2]) is an Ethiopian politician who was president of Ethiopia from 2013 to 2018.[3][4][5]

Mulatu Teshome
ሙላቱ ተሾመ
Mulatu in 2019
President of Ethiopia
In office
7 October 2013 – 25 October 2018
Prime MinisterHailemariam Desalegn
Abiy Ahmed
Preceded byGirma Wolde-Giorgis
Succeeded bySahle-Work Zewde
Speaker of the House of Federation
In office
10 October 2002 – 10 October 2005
Prime MinisterMeles Zenawi
Preceded byAlmaz Meko [am]
Succeeded byDegefe Bula
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
In office
17 October 2001 – 1 July 2003
Prime MinisterMeles Zenawi
Preceded byMengistu Hulluka
Succeeded byAddisu Legesse
Personal details
Born1957 (age 66–67)
Arjo, East Welega, Ethiopian Empire
Political partyOromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
Other political
affiliations
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
SpouseMeaza Abraham[1]
Alma materPeking University
Beijing Language and Culture University
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Biography

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President Mulatu Teshome meets with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw, 25 April 2018

Mulatu was born in the town of Arjo in Welega Province.[6] He was educated in China, receiving his bachelor's degree in philosophy of political economy and doctorate in international politics at Peking University.[6] He received his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 1990. He taught at some "foreign universities and institutions", according to Speaker Abadula Gemeda.

In the mid-1990s he was Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Cooperation under Minister Girma Birru, and he was appointed as Minister of Agriculture in 2001.[7] He was also Speaker of the House of Federation from 2002 to 2005.[7] He served as Ethiopia's Ambassador to China, Japan, Turkey,[4][5][8] and Azerbaijan.[9]

While serving as Ambassador to Turkey, he was elected as President of Ethiopia by a unanimous parliamentary vote[5] on 7 October 2013. Girma Seifu of the Unity for Democracy and Justice, the sole opposition member of parliament, welcomed his election.[5] Like his predecessors Girma Wolde-Giorgis and Negasso Gidada, he is Oromo.[4][10]

Mulatu has one son.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Getty Images, President of Ethiopia, Mulatu Teshome
  2. ^ Hawassaonline.com. "Dr Mulatu Teshome Ethiopian Biography". www.hawassaonline.com. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Ethiopia lawmakers to appoint new president". The East African. 19 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Ethiopia parliament elects Mulatu Teshome as new president". Rappler. AFP. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d Kussa, Mulugeta (7 October 2013). "Dr. Mulatu Teshome elected new President of Ethiopia". Ertagov.com. Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency. Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  6. ^ a b Wei, Wang (7 October 2013). "Ethiopia Elects New President". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Ethiopia: Fine Line". Addis Fortune. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Sezer meets Ethiopian ambassador". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  9. ^ "Ilham Aliyev accepted the credentials of the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Azerbaijan, Mr. Mulatu Teshome". president.az. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  10. ^ "Ethiopia Elects Dr. Mulatu Teshome as president". Awramba Times. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ Teklu, Dagnachew (7 October 2013). "Mulatu Teshome Elected As Ethiopia's New President". Tadias. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
Political offices
Preceded by President of Ethiopia
2013–2018
Succeeded by
  NODES
INTERN 1
Note 1