Seyoum Mesfin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seyoum Mesfin
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ሰዩም መስፍን
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1991–2010 |
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| Preceded by | Tesfaye Tadesse |
| Succeeded by | Hailemariam Desalegn |
| Ambassador of Ethiopia to the People's Republic of China | |
| In office 15 February 2011 – 19 August 2017 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 January 1949 Adigrat, Ethiopian Empire |
| Died | 13 January 2021 (aged 71) Asgede Tsimbla, Tigray, Ethiopia |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds by ENDF |
| Political party | EPRDF |
| Other political affiliations |
TPLF |
| Alma mater |
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Seyoum Mesfin Gebredingel (born January 25, 1949 – died January 13, 2021) was an important Ethiopian politician and diplomat. He served as Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs for almost 20 years, from 1991 to 2010. Later, he was Ethiopia's Ambassador to China from 2011 to 2017.
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Early Life and Education
Seyoum Mesfin was born on January 25, 1949, in Tigray, Ethiopia. His birth name was Ambaye Mesfin. He later changed his name to Seyoum, which was a nom de guerre (a name used during a struggle or war).
He went to Agazi Secondary School in Adigrat. In 1971, he earned a diploma in industrial chemistry from Bahir Dar Polytechnic Institute. He also studied international law at the University of Amsterdam. In 2010, he received an honorary doctorate from Great Lakes University of Kisumu in Kenya.
Political Career and Diplomacy
Founding the TPLF
Seyoum Mesfin was one of the people who helped start the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). This was a political group in Ethiopia. In the 1980s, he led the Foreign Affairs Committee for the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). He was also part of the Marxist–Leninist League of Tigray (MLLT). In 2013, Seyoum stepped down from the TPLF Central Committee.
Ethiopia's Foreign Minister
Seyoum was Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs for nearly 20 years. He held this important role from 1991 until 2010. He was also a key member of the EPRDF leadership.
He played a big part in the Eritrean–Ethiopian War. On June 18, 2000, Seyoum Mesfin and his Eritrean counterpart signed a peace agreement to end the war. In 2004, he spoke to the United Nations General Assembly about Ethiopia's relationships with Eritrea and Somalia. He also represented Adigrat in the House of Peoples' Representatives, which is like Ethiopia's parliament.
Ambassador to China
After leaving his role as Foreign Minister in 2010, Seyoum became Ethiopia's Ambassador to China. In this role, he worked to strengthen ties between Ethiopia and China. For example, he visited Singapore in 2012 to explore new business partnerships.
In 2015, Seyoum was the main mediator in peace talks for South Sudan. He worked to help both sides stop fighting and form a new government. He also helped launch a research center called the Centre for Research, Dialogue & Cooperation (CRDC) in 2016.
Seyoum also led the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray for many years. He was also the Chairman of the management board for Ethiopian Airlines for ten years.
Advisor for International Cooperation
From 2018 to 2020, Seyoum worked with the Carter Center. He helped lead efforts to improve cooperation between Africa, the U.S., and China. He co-chaired important discussions in Johannesburg and Addis Ababa. He worked closely with Ambassador Zhong Jianhua from China on these projects.
Family Life
Seyoum Mesfin was married and had four children: three sons and one daughter.
Death
Seyoum Mesfin passed away on January 13, 2021. According to the Ethiopian government, he was killed during a shootout with Ethiopian soldiers after he refused to surrender. This happened during the Tigray War. Two other TPLF officials were also killed, and five more were captured. Some sources, like Alex de Waal, called for an international investigation into the deaths.
