ISAIAS AFWERKI BIOGRAPHY, EDUCATION, CAREER, CONTROVERSIES AND NET WORTH

Mercy | December 11, 2024 | Find It | No Comments

Isaias Afwerki, born on February 2, 1946, is the first and only President of Eritrea since its independence in 1993. A central figure in Eritrean history, Isaias is both celebrated as a liberation hero and criticized as an authoritarian leader.

ISAIAS AFWERKI PROFILE

Name	Isaias Afwerki
Real Name	Isaias Afwerki
Date of Birth	2 February 1946
Age	78 Years
Nationality	Eritrean
Occupation	Politician
Religion	N/A
Marital Status	Married
Net Worth	$120 Million
Copied From	Contents101.com

ISAIAS AFWERKI BIOGRAPHY

Born February 2, 1946, in Aba Shi’Aul district, Asmara, Eritrea (then part of Ethiopia). His father was from Tselot, a village near Asmara, and worked as a minor functionary in the state tobacco monopoly. His mother was of Tigrayan descent, originating from the Enderta region of Ethiopia. Isaias grew up in Asmara.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

He attended Prince Makonnen High School (now Asmara Secondary School). In 1965, Isaias enrolled in the College of Engineering at Haile Selassie I University (now Addis Ababa University) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

However, he struggled academically, failing to pass his first semester. Instead of retaking the semester, he chose to abandon his studies and dedicate himself to the Eritrean independence movement.

CAREER

In 1966, Isaias joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), a group fighting for Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia. Dissatisfied with the ELF’s leadership and strategies, he became one of the founding members of the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) in the early 1970s.

The EPLF led a successful armed struggle against Ethiopian forces, culminating in Eritrea’s de facto independence in 1991.In 1993, following a UN-supervised referendum, Eritrea officially declared independence, and Isaias Afwerki became its first president.

Isaias Afwerki assumed office as President of Eritrea in 1993 and has remained in power ever since.

CONTROVERSIES

Isaias’s leadership during this border conflict resulted in massive casualties and significant economic hardship. The war strained relations between the two nations for decades. Mandatory national service has been likened to forced labor, prompting thousands of Eritreans to flee the country annually.