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Isaias Afewerki

Eritrea

Isaias Afewerki is the first and current president of Eritrea.


More by user: kwyly
Created: 25th Feb 2008
Modified: 25th Nov 2008
Professional Information
Employer:
Government of Eritrea
Position:
President
Working primarily in:
Eritrea

Description of Work:
Isaias was born in Asmara, Eritrea. He became an engineering student at Haile Selassie I University, but left academia in September 1966 and joined the forces fighting for Eritrean independence in the mid 1960's after the federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia was dissolved. He joined the ELF in 1966 and continued to fight until splitting off to join a smaller band of combatants which would later be known as the EPLF, Eritrean People's Liberation Front in 1977. In 1987 he became the Secretary General of the EPLF, and is credited as the architect of the strategy that eventually allowed the EPLF to surpass and eliminate the ELF as the foremost liberation movement of Eritrea.

After Eritrean independence was achieved in 1993, he was elected the nation's first president, though he had been the de facto leader before independence. Presidential elections, planned for 1997, never materialised. Eritrea is a one-party state, with the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice the only party allowed to operate.

Mr Afewerki has been criticised for failing to implement democratic reforms. His government has clamped down on its critics and has closed the private press.


(Information found at wikipedia.com and bbc.co.uk)

Biographical Information
Isaias Afewerki
(At a Glance)
Date of Birth: //
Location:
  City: Asmara
Place of Origin: Eritrea
Isaias Affwerki had studied also in China and when he joined the ELPF he and his freinds joined political aim to overthrow The DERG Ethiopian Regime with the now President of Ethiopia. He comes from the Southern Region of Eritrea . Afwerki was known for his Diplamatic Skills and Leadership. When he became President of Eritrea the Liberation Fighters were promised a New Era of Freedom and Democracy. Mr Isaias did not mantain his Promises of Fair and Democratic Election Instead he Imprisoned the most Influential ELf Leaders. In recent years his Fight against the Media was terrible, many Journalists were Jailed and others set in unknown Prisons. Although this negative aspects which I hope he will in the future Correct,We have to give him cresit to have raised the Standard of Education in Eritrea, Infrastructures and Transport and Agricuture have been in Years restructured  and  Eritrea can be considered  One of the Safest Nations in Africa. His Foreign Policies are seen very Aggressive with the Boardering Nations and some Western Nations as the United States while the relationship with the Arab Nations and Gulf States are to be considered Excellent due to the fact that  during the Thirty Years of Liberation Struggle many Eritrean Leaders found Safe Heavens in the Arab States due to their Islamic Faith.



More People

United States, Foreign Service/Diplomacy, Eritrea
Eritrea