Girma Wolde-Giorgis

Girma Wolde-Giorgis (amhárico: ግርማ ወልደ ጊዮርጊስ, gərəma wälədä giyorəgisə December 15, 2018) was an Ethiopian politician, military and businessman, President of Ethiopia between 2001 and October 2013.

He was a soldier and politician during the regime of the negus Haile Selassie, being president of Parliament. After the emperor was overthrown in 1974, he worked on behalf of Mengistu Haile Mariam's caretaker government in Eritrea. When he was overthrown, he became a businessman until his election as President of the country.

Biography

Early years and education

Girma Wolde-Giorgis was born on December 8, 1924, in Addis Ababa, being ethnically Oromo, who constitutes 30% of the Ethiopian population. She began her studies at a school belonging to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and later studied at the Teferi Mekonnen School in 1926, until the Italian invasion. At that time, her school was renamed "Scuola Principe di Piamonte", and she remained studying there between 1930 and 1933.

Military career

In 1933, Giorgis was recruited into the Ethiopian Military Communication Radio by the United Kingdom, and in 1936 he graduated from the Genet Military School with the rank of Second Lieutenant. In 1938, he joined the Ethiopian Air Force, where he takes several administration courses, and while he takes them, he works as an assistant instructor for Air Navigation and Control in 1940.

Between 1942 and 1944, he received his degrees in Administration (in the Netherlands), Air Traffic Management (in Sweden), and Air Traffic Control (in Canada), under a program sponsored by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

In 1951, he became director-general of the newly created Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Planning. In 1955, he became the Head of Civil Aviation for the Federal Government of Eritrea (then part of Ethiopia), and in 1958, he became Director-General of Ethiopian Civil Aviation.

Political career

His political career began in 1953, when he was elected deputy and for three consecutive terms, he was president of the Imperial Ethiopian Parliament. He was one of those responsible for incorporating his country's parliament into the Inter-Palliamentary Union (IPU).

Family

Giorgis was married with five children.