Regina Abelt
Encyclopedia
Regina Abelt was the First Lady of Ethiopia
from 1995 until 2001, and a German citizen. She is the first person to hold such a government position while being a citizen of a different country.
from 1979 to 1983. Abelt was one of the many foreign nurses working in the western Oromia Region
where she met her future husband, Dr. Negasso Gidada
, who was also a student at Germany's Goethe University Frankfurt. Even though she held German citizenship, Regina became the First Lady of Ethiopia by virtue of her marriage to the then President Dr. Negasso.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
from 1995 until 2001, and a German citizen. She is the first person to hold such a government position while being a citizen of a different country.
Background
Abelt was born in Germany. She worked as an aid worker in RwandaRwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
from 1979 to 1983. Abelt was one of the many foreign nurses working in the western Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
where she met her future husband, Dr. Negasso Gidada
Negasso Gidada
Dr. Negasso Gidada Solon was the President of Ethiopia from 1995 until 2001. He is the son of Gidada Solon, one of the first local ministers of the Protestant church in the Dembidolo area in western Ethiopia.Dr...
, who was also a student at Germany's Goethe University Frankfurt. Even though she held German citizenship, Regina became the First Lady of Ethiopia by virtue of her marriage to the then President Dr. Negasso.