ISAIAS AFWERKI

Isaias Afwerki, born on February 2, 1946, in Asmara, Eritrea. He is a prominent Eritrean politician who has served as the country's first and only president since its independence in 1993. He is also the chairman of Eritrea's sole legal political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).

Afwerki’s political journey began in 1966 when he joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF). His leadership qualities quickly emerged, leading him to become the group's leader by 1970. However, disillusioned with the ELF's sectarianism, Afwerki defected to form the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1970. Under his leadership, the EPLF grew into a formidable force, eventually securing Eritrea's independence from Ethiopia on May 24, 1991. Two years later, Afwerki was elected the first president of the newly independent Eritrea.

Despite initial acclaim for his reformist stance, Afwerki’s presidency has been marked by increasing authoritarianism. His administration has faced criticism for human rights abuses, with the 1997 constitution remaining unenforced and electoral institutions effectively nonexistent. The United Nations and Amnesty International have cited his government for serious human rights violations, and Reporters Without Borders ranked Eritrea last in its Press Freedom Index in 2024.

Afwerki was born into a modest family in Asmara and pursued higher education at the College of Engineering at Haile Selassie I University in Addis Ababa before his commitment to Eritrean politics led him to guerrilla warfare training in China. His early political activities included forming a secret cell within the ELF to challenge its leadership, which eventually led to the creation of the EPLF. His leadership was instrumental in consolidating the EPLF's power and achieving Eritrean independence.

In addition to his domestic policies, Afwerki has navigated complex regional relationships. Eritrea engaged in a costly border war with Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000 over the Badme region, resulting in significant casualties. Although the Algiers Agreement brought an end to the war, tensions persisted. In recent years, Eritrea's relationship with Ethiopia has fluctuated, with a significant reconciliation in 2018 under Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, only for tensions to rise again during the Tigray War in 2020.

Afwerki’s foreign relations also include a complex history with Sudan and Djibouti, marked by initial hostility but subsequent cooperation. In 2018, Eritrea established diplomatic relations with Somalia, furthering its international ties.

Afwerki’s international stance has been notably supportive of Russia, as evidenced by Eritrea’s opposition to a UN resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2023, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, denying the existence of the Ukraine conflict.

A brief mutiny by Eritrean soldiers in 2013, known as the Forto incident, demanded political reforms but was swiftly resolved through negotiations.

Married to former EPLF fighter Saba Haile since 1981, Afwerki has three children. He faced a serious health challenge shortly before Eritrea’s independence when he contracted cerebral malaria and was treated in Israel. As of 2019, he remains a member of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. Known by his nickname "Isu," Afwerki's political journey is marked by his early admiration for Mao Zedong and a complex relationship with Chinese leadership.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaias_Afwerki