Dr. Tedros Adhanom is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. His distinguished health leadership career spans nearly 30 years and was previously the Minister of Health from 2005 to 2012.

As Minister of Health, Dr. Tedros transformed Ethiopia’s health system by investing in critical infrastructure, building the health workforce and developing innovative strategies to direct resources where they were needed most. His comprehensive reforms resulted in reductions in maternal and child deaths, saving millions of lives and helping Ethiopia to meet Millennium Development Goal 4—reduce child mortality—three years ahead of schedule. These achievements resulted in his selection in 2012 by Wired Magazine as one of the 50 people who will change the world.

At the center of Dr. Tedros’ work is a lifelong commitment to the health and rights of girls and women. He introduced the revolutionary Health Extension Programme, which mobilized 38,000 female community health workers to provide front-line care to the most vulnerable and underserved in nearly every community across Ethiopia—especially girls and women. As a result, women in Ethiopia now have access to family planning and children receive life-saving vaccines and treatment for deadly illnesses.

Dr. Tedros holds a PhD in Community Health. His global leadership includes services as a Chair or Board member for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNAIDS, Roll Back Malaria Partnership and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health.