Jamaica Welcomes New Ethiopian Ambassador

The newly appointed Ethiopian Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Girma Birru was welcomed to the island by a contingent of ministers, members of the diplomatic community and well-wishers at a reception hosted by Mrs. Yodit Getachew Hylton, Honorary Consul of Ethiopia to Jamaica on Tuesday, May 12, 2015.

Ambassador Birru submitted his credentials to the Governor General of Jamaica, His Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, on Tuesday, 12 May 2015. While speaking at the ceremony commemorating the presentation of his credentials, Ambassador Birru expressed Ethiopia’s desire to strengthen the existing friendly and historical relations between both countries in a mutually beneficial manner. He noted the love and admiration that Rastafarians, and Jamaicans at large, have for Ethiopia and the late Emperor Haile Selassie I has helped to strengthen the closer affinity and positive sentiments between the people of these two countries.

The presentation of credentials by Ambassador Birru marked a historical occasion, as it is the first time that the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has appointed an Ambassador to Jamaica. In discussing the significance of the appointment, Mrs. Yodit Getachew Hylton stated, “The appointment is truly momentous, given the deep historic, cultural and people-to-people ties between Jamaica and Ethiopia. Indeed, the appointment is also an opportunity to use Jamaica as a gateway to increase relations with the Caribbean region”.

Ambassador Birru comes to this post after a distinguished period of service to Ethiopia’s social and economic development. He has served in several high level posts before his ambassadorial appointment – most of these assignments in the finance, economic and trade areas including, Minister of Trade and Industry of Ethiopia, Minister of Economic Development and Cooperation, Minister of the Revenue Administration Board, Deputy Minister of Finance Administration and Logistics at the Ministry of National Defense, Chief Advisor to the Ministry of Defense on Economic Issues , Ethiopia’s Chief Negotiator at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Alternative member of the board of the World Bank and the African Development Bank representing Ethiopia and Board member of PTA Bank (Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank).

Ambassador Birru is a graduate of the University of Addis Ababa with distinction in Economics; and a Masters in Economic Policy Planning from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Hague, Netherlands. Ambassador Birru who is based in Washington D.C, also serves as ambassador to the United States of America and Mexico. Mrs. Yodit Getachew Hylton, who reports directly to Ambassador Birru, will continue to serve as a bridge between Ethiopia and Jamaica in her capacity of Honorary Consul of Ethiopia to Jamaica.