Regina Abelt (; born 12 May 1954) is a German-born public figure who served as the first

First Lady of Ethiopia First Lady of Ethiopia () is a title for the wife of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Prime Minister. Officially the concept of First Lady applied in Ethiopian politics since 1995. Although the first lady's role has never been codified ...

from 22 August 1995 until 8 October 2001.

Background

Abelt was born in Germany. She worked as an aid worker in

Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...

from 1979 to 1983. Abelt was one of the many foreign nurses working in the western

Oromia Region Oromia (, ) is a Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. Under Article 49 of 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Constitution, the capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa, also called Finfinne. The ...

where she met her future husband, Dr.

Negasso Gidada Negasso Gidada Solon (; 8 September 1943 – 27 April 2019) was an Ethiopian politician who was the president of Ethiopia from 1995 until 2001. Biography Negasso was the son of Gidada Solon, one of the first local ministers of a Protestant chu ...

, who was also a student at Germany's

Goethe University Frankfurt Goethe University Frankfurt () is a public research university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens' university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt ...

. Even though she held German citizenship, Regina became the First Lady of Ethiopia by virtue of her marriage to the then

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Dr. Negasso.

References

1954 births Living people People from Moers First ladies of Ethiopia Goethe University Frankfurt alumni German emigrants to Ethiopia Ethiopian people of German descent {{Ethiopia-bio-stub

Background

See also

References