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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ethiopia’s Mulatu Teshome

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ethiopia’s Mulatu Teshome

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We don’t necessarily know everything there is to know about Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome, who took office in October 2013. Here are some facts we’ve been able to dig up — 10 things you didn’t know about Ethiopia’s Mulatu Teshome.

Sources: TigraiOnline.com, EthiopianReview.com, HornAffairs.com, AwrambaTimes.com, Wikipedia.org, SoDere.com

FanABC.com
FanABC.com

Mulatu Teshome is a member of the Oromo

The Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, also lays claim to Teshome’s two predecessors, Dr. Negasso Gidada and Girma Wolde-Giogis.

TodaysZaman.com
TodaysZaman.com

He pursued higher education abroad with a government-funded scholarship

Mulatu studied at Peking University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy of political economy and his doctorate in international law.

Horn.so
Horn.so

His degrees helped set him up for his later positions within the Ethiopian government

When he returned to Ethiopia in 1991, he served as the Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Cooperation, and later was appointed the Minister of Agriculture in 2001.

AddisFortune.net
AddisFortune.net

He is sometimes nicknamed “China’s old friend”

Due to the time he spent studying in China, Mulatu Teshome is considered to have very close ties to the country. Indeed, he spent more than 15 years there, and didn’t return to Ethiopia until 1991 at the age of 34 to begin his political career.

RUV.is
RUV.is

He has served as Ethiopia’s ambassador to several different countries

Before taking the presidential office, Teshome served as the Ethiopian Ambassador to China, Japan, Turkey, Thailand, and Australia at various points in his career.

ElHorizonte.mx
ElHorizonte.mx

Despite having been ambassador to Turkey for seven years, he can’t actually speak Turkish

Apparently that’s not in the job description. He did, however, speak Mandarin Chinese, which was undoubtedly useful during his time as the Ethiopian ambassador to China.

AfrikanSpot.com
AfrikanSpot.com

He beat out an Olympic medalist for the job

In addition to Mulatu Teshome, the joint session of the Houses of Peoples Representatives and the federation that decides Ethiopia’s presidential nomination was considering Addis Ababa Mayor Girma Deressa; Member of Parliament Dr. Asheber Woldegiorgis, and two-time Olympic gold medalist Haile Gebreselassie (a long distance track and road running athlete).

News.XinHuanet.com
News.XinHuanet.com

He is considered much more outgoing than many African political figures

Perhaps due to his time spent as an ambassador — jobs in which congeniality and personal relations are integral — Mulatu Teshome is considered much more outgoing and willing to speak openly than many other Ethiopian politicians, as well as leaders throughout Africa.

China.DWNews.com
China.DWNews.com

Mulatu’s son has dreams of following in his father’s footsteps

Reportedly, Mulatu’s only son once said, “I will go and study in China when I grow up and pursue my doctor’s degree at Peking University, just like you did.”

EthioSoul.com
EthioSoul.com

Teshome’s powers are largely those of a figurehead

As Ethiopia is a parliamentary republic, the president is largely a figurehead executive. Some powers are kept in reserve, as granted by the country’s constitution, but the bulk of the leadership is done by the prime minister’s cabinet.