Meet Eritrean independence leader and president - Isaias Afwerki

Isaias Afwerki (born February 2, 1946, Asmara, Eritrea), Eritrean independence leader and president of Eritrea from 1993.

Isaias got an engineering degree from Ethiopia at Addis Ababa University, but he left the university in 1966 to join the ELF. During Ethiopia's own revolution-1974, Isaias led the highland-dominated Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). In 1987 he was chosen as secretary-general of the EPLF. After years of military struggle, the EPLF beat Ethiopian troops in 1991. An interim government was fit with Isaias at the chief, and a referendum on Eritrean freedom from Ethiopia was planned for the future.

He voted powerfully in favour of independence in the referendum, which was held in 1993. In a month, Isaias was elected president of Eritrea by the National Assembly and Head of the aforementioned body, giving him the power of both the executive and legislative departments of government. On May 24, he officially proclaimed Eritrea's freedom.

In the years that followed, he gradually consolidated his power in every aspect of Eritrean life, serving additionally as commander in the head of the army and as chairperson of the country's sole political party, the PFDJ (People's Front for Democracy and Justice), as the EPLF renamed itself in 1994. 

Isaias supervised an unexpected transformation of the country's contentious alliance with Ethiopia in 2018. Outreach by Ethiopia's new PM, Abiy Ahmed, in June, according to ending the long-standing border battle between the countries, led to diplomatic activity, including Isaias and Abiy's reciprocal visits in July. The diplomatic and commercial tie-up between Ethiopia and Eritrea were organized. On July 9, the 2 leaders issued a joint statement declaring that the state of battle between their countries was over. Given that Isaias had long used Ethiopia's dispute as an excuse for the repressive order in his country, many wondered how the recent changes would affect Eritreans' lives.