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Meles ZenawiEthiopian statesman and politician, Prime Minister of Ethiopia from August 22, 1995 until his death.
Date of Birth: 08.05.1955
Country:  Ethiopia |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Political Activism and the Derg Regime
- Formation of the EPRDF and Rise to Power
- Presidency and Economic Reforms
- Economic Growth and Industrial Development
- Foreign Policy and Conflict Resolution
- Controversies and Western Perception
- Personal Life and Death
Early Life and Education
Meles Zenawi, a prominent Ethiopian statesman, was born on May 8, 1955 (or 1954 or 1956 according to some sources) in the town of Adwa in the northern Tigray province. He completed his high school education in 1972 and moved to the capital, Addis Ababa, to study medicine at Addis Ababa University.
Political Activism and the Derg Regime
However, the military coup d'état by the "Derg" group of officers abruptly halted his academic pursuits. The "Red Terror" policies implemented by the new regime alienated Zenawi, leading him to establish the Marxist-Leninist League of Tigray, which later became part of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) under his leadership.
Formation of the EPRDF and Rise to Power
In 1989, Zenawi became the leader of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition formed by the merger of the TPLF, the Amhara National Democratic Movement, the Oromo People's Democratic Organization, and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement. Under Zenawi's leadership, the EPRDF defeated government forces in May 1991, overthrowing the regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam and ending the protracted civil war.
Presidency and Economic Reforms
On May 28, 1991, Zenawi became the president of the newly established Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. He was instrumental in drafting the 1994 constitution, which transformed Ethiopia into a federal parliamentary republic. Subsequently, on August 22, 1995, Zenawi became the Prime Minister, a position he held until his death.
Initially an ardent Marxist, Zenawi gradually shifted to a more liberal ideology in 1990. His government focused on reviving the economy, which had been devastated by decades of Mengistu's rule. They introduced land reforms, dissolving state and collective farms and distributing land to peasants under 99-year leases.
Economic Growth and Industrial Development
Zenawi's economic policies bore fruit, with Ethiopia becoming the sixth largest coffee exporter in the world, the tenth largest livestock producer, and the second largest maize cultivator in Africa. The country also developed a burgeoning floriculture industry, becoming the second largest flower exporter in Africa. Additionally, investments in sugar production and light, food, and construction industries boosted economic growth. Ethiopia's GDP per capita, which had plummeted by over 42% between 1990 and 1995, rose to $398 by 2010, a 55% increase from 1990 levels.
Foreign Policy and Conflict Resolution
Zenawi faced significant foreign policy challenges. In 1993, Eritrea seceded from Ethiopia, depriving the country of its maritime ports. A brief conflict with Eritrea in 1998 resulted in a victory for Ethiopia, but Zenawi resisted the temptation to reintegrate Eritrea and withdrew Ethiopian troops.
He intervened in neighboring Somalia twice, in 2006 and 2011, to combat separatists, pirates, and Islamists. Zenawi played a pivotal role in liberating Mogadishu from the Union of Islamic Courts and restoring control to the Transitional Federal Government led by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. He also successfully mediated the peaceful separation of Sudan into Northern and Southern Sudan.
Controversies and Western Perception
Despite concerns raised by the opposition regarding media censorship, electoral irregularities, and excessive force in suppressing protests, Zenawi remained respected in the West. Western politicians and journalists praised his personal modesty, his peacemaking efforts in East Africa, and his ability to communicate effectively with Western leaders. In 2004, he became a member of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, which aimed to combat poverty on the continent.
Personal Life and Death
Zenawi passed away on August 20, 2012, after contracting an infection. He was married and had four children.
