NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ETHIOPIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
Press Release
BIO/3313
NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ETHIOPIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
20000825 Biographical Note(Based on information received from Protocol and Liaison Service.)
The new Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, Abdul Mejid Hussein, presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan today.
Prior to his appointment, from 1998, Mr. Hussein was Deputy Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Office of Emergency Programmes in New York and the Director of the Office of Emergency Operations in Geneva. From 1991 to 1998, he served as a senior member of his government's cabinet. From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Hussein was Ethiopia's Minister of Transport and Communications. During this period, he was also a member of his country's Federal Parliament in the House of Representatives.
From 1994 to 1995, he was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Preferential Trade Area (PTA), later known as the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA). Mr. Hussein was also the Minister Coordinator of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) from 1992 to 1994. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Hussein served as the Minister for External Economic Cooperation and the National Authorizing Officer, and focal Minister for all European Union-funded projects in Ethiopia.
Mr. Hussein also held a number of positions in the United Nations system. From 1989 to 1991, he served as Chief of Administration and Personnel and Officer-in-Charge of the UNICEF office in Islamabad, Pakistan. From 1985 to 1989, he was Senior Personnel Officer at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in Geneva, Switzerland. From 1983 to 1985, he was Assistant Representative to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Khartoum, Sudan. From 1982 to 1983, Mr. Hussein was Chief Technical Advisor at the International Labour Organization (ILO).
From 1981 to 1982, Mr. Hussein was a Senior Consultant and Project Officer for OXFAM, America in Somalia. From 1979 to 1980, he worked as Research Consultant and Assistant Director of Overseas Development Administration supported projects for the International African Institute in London. From 1971 to 1980, he was a current affairs free- lance commentator for the BBC African Service in London.
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Mr. Hussein received a Masters Degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 1975 and a Doctorate in 1981. Arabic, English, Amarigna, Somali and Harari are among the many language Mr. Hussein speaks.
Born on 9 February 1944 in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, Mr. Hussein is married with 3 children.
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