Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher

Ethiopian environmental scientist leading global biodiversity conservation efforts

Dr. Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (born 1950) is an Ethiopian scientist and diplomat who has profoundly influenced international environmental policy. As chief advisor to Ethiopia's Ministry of Environment, he played a pivotal role in shaping the 1992 Earth Summit agreements. His work on the Convention on Biological Diversity helped establish frameworks for genetic resource management that protect developing nations' interests.

Egziabher's most notable achievement was leading negotiations for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000), which regulates genetically modified organisms' transboundary movements. His advocacy against biopiracy secured Ethiopia's rights over its traditional knowledge, influencing global intellectual property laws. He famously clashed with multinational corporations during the 2001 Biosafety Protocol negotiations, stating 'We will not allow our biodiversity to become someone else's intellectual property.'

As director of the Environmental Protection Authority, he implemented Ethiopia's first national biodiversity strategy, creating protected areas like the Bale Mountains National Park. His book Global Biodiversity Conservation and Developing Countries remains a key text in environmental studies. Egziabher's leadership earned him the Right Livelihood Award (2004) and UN Champions of the Earth award (2017).