Since 1993, Isaias Afwerki has been the president of Eritrea, holding both the position of head of state and head of government.
He is also the commander-in-chief of the Eritrean Defence Forces. Eritrea’s Constitution, as of 2021, does not set term limits for the president.
Before the independence of Eritrea in 1993, the head of state was the secretary-general of the Provisional Government of Eritrea.
Isaias Afwerki has been in power since Eritrea became independent, making him the country’s only president since its establishment.
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No | Name | Tenure | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Isaias Afwerki | May 24, 1993 - Incumbent | People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) |
Eritrea Current President
Isaias Afwerki has been the President of Eritrea since the country gained independence in 1993. He is the first and only person to hold this position in the history of Eritrea.
He was born on February 2, 1946, in Asmara, Eritrea, during a time when Eritrea was under British control. After attending high school in Asmara, he went to the University of Addis Ababa to study engineering.
However, he left his studies in 1966 to join the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), which was fighting against Ethiopian control.
Afwerki soon became a prominent figure in the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), helping to form after breaking away from the ELF in 1970.
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As a leader within the EPLF, he was instrumental in the successful fight against Ethiopian forces, which eventually led to Eritrea’s independence in 1991.
In 1993, following a referendum in which the people of Eritrea overwhelmingly voted for independence, Afwerki was elected as the country’s president by the National Assembly.
He also became the leader of the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). In 1997, he canceled scheduled presidential elections and has not allowed any elections to take place since.
Eritrea remains without a constitution, and political opposition is not allowed. There have been many reports about human rights abuses under his rule, like accusations of forced labor and violations of political freedoms.
The media is tightly controlled, and opposition leaders have been arrested or charged with treason. Afwerki’s relationship with Ethiopia has been tense for many years, but in 2018, a historic peace agreement was reached, ending a long-standing state of war between the two countries.
Yet, Eritrea’s government is still heavily criticized for its authoritarian policies and the lack of political freedoms. Afwerki is married to Saba Haile, a former freedom fighter, and they have three children.
