Meles Zenawi
| Meles Zenawi መለስ ዜናዊ |
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|---|---|
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| 10th Prime Minister of Ethiopia | |
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In office 23 August 1995 – 20 August 2012 |
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| President |
Negasso Gidada Girma Wolde-Giorgis |
| Preceded by | Tamirat Layne (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Hailemariam Desalegn |
| 3rd President of Ethiopia | |
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In office 28 May 1991 – 22 August 1995 |
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| Prime Minister |
Tesfaye Dinka Tamirat Layne |
| Preceded by | Tesfaye Gebre Kidan (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Negasso Gidada |
| Member of the House of People's Representatives |
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In office 19 May 1995 – 20 August 2012 |
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| Constituency | Adwa |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Legesse Meles Asres 9 May 1955 Adwa, Ethiopia |
| Died | 20 August 2012 (aged 57) Brussels, Belgium |
| Political party | Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front |
| Other political affiliations |
Tigrayan People's Liberation Front |
| Spouse(s) | Azeb Mesfin |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater |
Open University Erasmus University Rotterdam |
| Religion | Ethiopian Orthodoxy (Baptismal Name: Gebremariam) |
| Website | www.meleszenawi.gov.et/ |
Meles Zenawi Asres (Ge'ez: መለስ ዜናዊ አስረስ mäläs zenawi asräs 
listen ; 9 May 1955 – 20 August 2012, born Legesse Zenawi Asres) was the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1995 to 2012. From 1989, he was the chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front (TPLF), and the head of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) since its formation in 1991. Before becoming Prime Minister in 1995, he served as President of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995.
In 1975, he left college to join the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and opposing the Derg. After the overthrow of the military regime, he was elected as President of the transitional government and later as Prime Minister.
His government was credited with reforms such as those that led to a multi-party political system in Ethiopia, introduction of private press in Ethiopia and decreased child mortality rates. Known by the media as one of Africa's strongmen, he was also an ally in the United States' War on Terror.
Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray, in northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father Zenawi Asres from Adwa and Alemash Guebreluel from Adi Quala, Eritrea. He was the third of six children. His first name at birth was "Legesse" (thus Legesse Zenawi, Ge'ez: ለገሰ ዜናዊ legesse zēnāwī). However, he eventually became better known by his nom de guerre Meles, which he adopted in honor of university student and fellow Tigrayan Meles Tekle who was executed by Mengistu's government in 1975. He received primary education at Queen of Sheba Junior School located in Adwa. It took him 5 years to complete the regular 8 years program as he was able to skip grades and join the next level. He then joined the prestigious General Wingate High school in Addis Ababa on full scholarship and completed high school in 1972.
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