Mulatu Teshome

This article contains a Habesha name. This person is addressed by his given name, Mulatu, and not as Teshome—the given name of his father.
Mulatu Teshome
4th President of Ethiopia
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 October 2013
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn
Preceded by Girma Wolde-Giorgis
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
In office
17 October 2001 – 1 July 2003
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Preceded by Mengistu Hulluka
Succeeded by Addisu Legesse
Personal details
Born 1955/1956 (age 58–59)
Arjo, Ethiopia
Political party Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization
Other political
affiliations		 Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Alma mater Peking University
Religion Ethiopian Orthodoxy

Mulatu Teshome Wirtu (Amharic: ሙላቱ ተሾመ?, born 1955 or 1956)[1] is an Ethiopian politician who has been President of Ethiopia since 7 October 2013.[1][2]

Biography

Mulatu was born in the town of Arjo in Welega Province.[3] He was educated in China, receiving his bachelor's degree in philosophy of political economy and doctorate in international law at Peking University.[3] 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.[4] He was also Speaker of the House of Federation from 2002 to 2005.[4] He served as Ethiopia's Ambassador to China, Japan, and Turkey.[1][2][5]

While serving as Ambassador to Turkey, he was elected as President of Ethiopia by a unanimous parliamentary vote[2] on 7 October 2013. Girma Seifu of the Unity for Democracy and Justice, the sole opposition member of parliament, welcomed his election.[2] Like his predecessors Girma Wolde-Giorgis and Negasso Gidada, he is Oromo.[1][6]

Mulatu has one son.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Ethiopia parliament elects Mulatu Teshome as new president". Rappler. AFP. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kussa, Mulugeta (7 October 2013). "Dr. Mulatu Teshome elected new President of Ethiopia". Ertagov.com (Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency). Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wei, Wang (7 October 2013). "Ethiopia Elects New President". Xinhua. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Ethiopia: Fine Line". Addis Fortune. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Sezer meets Ethiopian ambassador". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Ethiopia Elects Dr. Mulatu Teshome as president". Awramba Times. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  7. ↑ Teklu, Dagnachew (7 October 2013). "Mulatu Teshome Elected As Ethiopia's New President". Tadias. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
Political offices
Preceded by
Girma Wolde-Giorgis		 President of Ethiopia
2013–present 		Incumbent