Debretsion Gebremichael
Debretsion Gebremichael (Tigrinya: ደብረጽዮን ገብረሚካኤል, pronunciation: [dɐbrɐtsʼjon gɐbrɐmikäe̯l]) is an Ethiopian politician serving as the chairman of Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). He was previously the president of the Tigray Region. His position as titular head of the Tigray Region was disputed by the federal government of Ethiopia who in November 2020 appointed Mulu Nega as the chief executive of the Transitional Government of Tigray, succeeded by Abraham Belay. From July 2021 to March 2023, Debretsion again led the Tigray Region, while Abraham Belay left the transitional government to become Ethiopia's minister of Defence.
Debretsion Gebremichael | |
|---|---|
ደብረጽዮን ገብረሚካኤል | |
Debretsion in 2014 | |
| President of the Tigray Region | |
| In office 9 January 2018 – 3 March 2023 Disputed with Mulu Nega from 13 November 2020 to 6 May 2021 Disputed with Abraham Balay from 6 May 2021 | |
| Vice President | Fetlework Gebregziabher |
| Preceded by | Abay Weldu |
| Succeeded by | Getachew Reda (Interim Regional Administration of Tigray) |
| Chairman of the Tigray People's Liberation Front | |
| Assumed office 29 November 2017 | |
| Deputy | Fetlework Gebregziabher |
| Preceded by | Abay Weldu |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia | |
| In office 29 November 2012 – 6 November 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Hailemariam Desalegn |
| Preceded by | Hailemariam Desalegn |
| Minister of Communications and Information Technology | |
| In office 10 October 2012 – 8 January 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Hailemariam Desalegn |
| Preceded by | Position established (Promoted to ministry status) |
| Director of Ethiopian Information and Communication Development Agency | |
| In office 19 September 2005 – 10 October 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Meles Zenawi |
| Preceded by | Ayenew Bitewelign |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished (Promoted to ministry status) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | early 1960s Shire, Tigray Province, Ethiopian Empire |
| Political party | Tigray People's Liberation Front |
| Alma mater | Addis Ababa University (BSc, MSc) Capella University (PhD) |
His party nominally won all 152 contested seats and 98.2% of the votes of the 2020 Tigray regional election, which was held in defiance of the federal government that had postponed the elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia.