Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. He took up his post in November 2012. Prior to this he served as Minister of Health from October 2005 to November 2012. Dr. Tedros also served in a number of expert and leadership positions within the Ministry of Health at both federal and regional levels, including the positions of Minister of State and as Head of the Tigray Regional Health Bureau. First joining the Ministry in 1986, Dr. Tedros has dedicated his entire career to public service and scientific research, focusing on health concerns.

A globally recognized researcher on malaria, Dr. Tedros Adhanom has co-authored numerous articles on the subject in prominent scientific publications, including Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, The Lancet, Nature and Parasitologia. One of his key contributions to this field was a study of malaria incidence among children living near dams in northern Ethiopia which was published in the British Medical Journal in 1999. This seminal contribution earned him the distinction of ‘Young Investigator of the Year’ from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. In 2003, the Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) also recognized his important research work through its prestigious “Young Public Health Researcher Award”. Dr. Tedros is also the first non-American recipient of the “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award”, in 2011. This is an award conferred by the US National Foundation of Infectious Diseases to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to improving the health of humankind. In March 2012 he received the 2012 Honorary Fellowship from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This is the highest honour bestowed by the School and goes to those who have achieved exceptional distinction in international health or Tropical medicine.

In addition to his specific work on disease and malaria in particular, Minister Tedros has also been recognized for his leadership in the rapidly evolving field of global health, working steadily to enhance Ethiopia’s active engagement in a number of major international forums.  In May, 2009, he was elected to represent Ethiopia as the Chair of the Fourth Conference of Ministers of Health of the African Union (CAMH4). On July 4, 2009 he was elected Chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, for a period of two years. Previously, he served as Chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) until May, 2009, as Chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordination Board (PCB) from January to December, 2009. and as Co-Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) from 2005 until December, 2009. He has also served as a member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Board as well as of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). In 2009, he also served as a member of the High-Level Task Force for Innovative Financing for Health Systems, co-chaired by World Bank President, Robert Zoellick, and UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

Dr. Tedros holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Health from the University of Nottingham (UK) in 2000.  He obtained a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London (UK) in 1992 and completed his undergraduate studies in Biology (BSc) at Asmara University in 1986.