Ethiopia's President Girma Woldegiorgis' Office says the President is not dead, being hospitalised

By De Birhan Media

13 March 2012

President Girma Woldegiorgis

While various sources are reporting that Ethiopia's ceremonial President Girma Woldegiogris reportedly died, the Office of the President told the Addis Abeba based Ethiopian News Agency said  the President is "on a routine medical check up in Saudi Arabia and will be home soon".  

We had reported earlier citing sources that  Girma had reportedly passed away in Riyadh hospital, Saudi Arabia. Before moving to Saudi Arabia, Girma was hospitalised for a short while in the Myungsung Christian Medical Center (MCM Korean Hospital), in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. De Birhan was unsuccessful to verify it from government sources. 

Born in 1917 (Ethiopian Calendar hereafter ) in Addis Ababa, Girme Wolde Giorgis aattended the church school and later joined the Teferi Mekonnen School in Addis Ababa in 1926 where he followed his education until the Italian invasion. Between 1930-1933, he studied at an Italian school "The scuola Principe Piemonte" in Addis Ababa. Between 1942 and 1944, he received certificates in Management (in Holland), in Air Traffic Management (in Sweden) and Air Traffic Control (in Canada) under a training programme sponsored by the International Civil Aviation Organization. 

He served as a president of the Federal Democartic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) for 11 years and was to finish his second term after six months.The President of Ethiopia is the Head of State and is elected by a two-thirds majority vote of a joint session of parliament. Among his duties, the president is responsible for officially proclaiming laws and international agreements approved by the House of Peoples’ Representatives in accordance with the Constitution and symbolic roles. Article 69, 70 and 71 of the Constitution stiplulate the roles of the Presidnet.

Article 69

The President

The President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is the Head of State.

Article 70

Nomination and Appointment of the President

The House of Peoples’ Representatives shall nominate the candidate for President.

Article 71

Powers and Functions of the Presiden: 

- He shall open the joint session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of the Federation at the commencement of their annual sessions.

- He shall proclaim in the Negarit Gazeta laws and international agreements approved by the House of Peoples’ Representatives in accordance with the Constitution.

- He shall, upon recommendation by the Prime Minister, appoint ambassadors and other envoys to represent the country abroad.

- He shall receive the credentials of foreign ambassadors and special envoys.

- He shall award medals, prizes and gifts in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law.

- He shall, upon recommendation by the Prime Minister and in accordance with law, grant high military titles.

- He shall, in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law, grant pardon.
Girma has a long governmental and non governmental history of career since the times of HIM Hailesellasie. 

Government Experience

·         in 1933 he was enlisted at the Ethiopian Military RadioCommunication set up by U.K.

·         in 1936 graduated from the Genet Military School as a Sub-Lieutenant

·         joined the Air Force in 1938 and took various Air Management courses

·         became assistant teacher in Air Navigation and Flight Control in 1940

·         became head of Civil Aviation of the Federal Government of Eritrea in 1947

·         assumed the post of Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation in 1949 and was Board member of the Ethiopian Airlines during the same period.

·         became Director General of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Planning at the time of establishment in 1951

·         became member of parliament in 1953

·         was elected president of the parliament for three consecutive years.

·         helped win a seat for the Ethiopian Parliament in the International Parliamentary Union and attended conferences of the IPU in Switzerland, Denmark and former Yugoslavia and was elected as Vice President of the 52^nd Meeting of the International Parliamentary Union.

·         represented the business community in the Civil consultative Commission set-up by the Dergue until it was dissolved in 1967.

·         served as Manager of the Import and Export Enterprise (IMPEX).

·         served as deputy Commissioner of the Peace Programme drawn up in 1969 by the provisional military government to settle the Eritrean problem peacefully.

·         became member of the Council of Peoples Representatives of FDRE after winning in the Becho Woreda constituency, West Shoa Zone of Oromia State, as a private candidate in the second round elections in 1992.

Non-Government Experience 1957 - 1966

·         Board member of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce

·         Representative for Australian Trade Mission in Ethiopia

·         Founder and Director of the Ghibe Agricultural Association

·         Founder and Director of the Keffa and Illubabor Timber Processing Industry

While in Eritrea before 1982

·         President of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society- Eritrea Branch

·         Board President of Cheshire Home

·         Managing Director of Leprosy Control Organization

Up on returning to Ethiopia from Eritrea in 1982, he served as Board Member of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society and Head of its International Logistics Department. Girma launched an environmental protection association called 'Lem Ethiopia' in 1983 to date serving as Vice President of the Board of the Association. The President of Ethiopia speaks Oromiffa, Amharic, Tigrigna, Italian, English and French.