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Int’l Red Cross appoints Bekele Geleta as its new head

Posted on by Elias Kifle

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has this afternoon announced the appointment of Mr Bekele Geleta as its new Secretary General. Mr Geleta will replace the current Secretary General, Mr Markku Niskala, who is retiring after a long and successful Red Cross Red Crescent career.

“It is my pleasure to inform you that today, 21 May 2008, during its 17th session, the Governing Board of the IFRC appointed Mr Bekele Geleta as the new Secretary General,” said Juan Manuel Suàrez del Toro, president of the IFRC, in a letter to all Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, and to all IFRC delegations and staff.

Mr Geleta was born in Ethiopia on 1 July 1944 and has a Masters degree in economics from Leeds University in the United Kingdom.

He has worked as general manager of the Franco-Ethiopian Railway Company, as urban development officer for Irish Concern International, and as a programme manager for Kenya and Somalia for Care Canada. He was Ethiopia’s ambassador to Japan, and its vice-minister of transport and communications.

From 1984 to 1988, during one of the most challenging times in recent African history, he served as Secretary General of the Ethiopian Red Cross. From 1996 to 2007, Mr Geleta was head of the Africa department at the IFRC secretariat in Geneva, deputy head of the IFRC’s delegation to the United Nations in New York and head of the IFRC’s regional delegation in Bangkok, Thailand.

His appointment came while he was General Manager of International Operations for the Canadian Red Cross at its headquarters in Ottawa.

“I wish the new Secretary General of the IFRC success in his new position,” said Mr Suàrez Del Toro.

“I also want to express my thanks and appreciation for the solid work done by Markku Niskala, now Secretary General Emeritus, for his commitment and leadership in guiding the IFRC secretariat through some of the most challenging times in humanitarian history.”

14 thoughts on “Int’l Red Cross appoints Bekele Geleta as its new head”

  1. My congratulations go to Ato Bekele. I can imagine how it feels like to reach such level of professional achievement. It’s great.

    I hope he will always have Ethiopia in mind. Yes, we don’t expect him to be biased towards a certain country or group as it is against the very fundamental principles of Red Cross. But we expect him to be vigilant and pay special attention to the gross violation and abuse of human rights by the Woyanie regime. I am sure he is aware of the fact that there are still more than tens of thousands of political prisoners languishing in remote jails. The conditions of these jails are deplorable and below the minimum acceptable standard by any measure. Ato Bekele is expected to do his best and make sure at least these prisoners are within a reach of the Red Cross.

    Good luck to you, Sir

    From Mahidere Mariam, Gonder

  2. The right man to the right position!!

    I witnessed the out standing leadership of Mr. Geleta, while I was working as an employee in the Ethiopan Red Cross Socity from 1988 – 1996.

    He demonstrated the higest degree of leadership in the most difficult time in the history of the society (1984-88).
    He was a very harworking person who earned the respect & admiration of of the entire employee.

    I wish him all the best!!

  3. Ato Bekele Geleta is very friendly and hard-working person. He can easily get along and work with whole diversity of people. Congratulations to him!

  4. Congratulation Gashe Bekele. A position well derserved. I can’t wait until I see more Ethiopians in such high Multilateral institutions. Unfortunately , it sad to see those who could be leaders in so many respeted establishments are either cabbies or cyber junkes or politicians.

    Ato Bekele I wish you all the best. Until we talk so long. cheers

  5. Congratulations! It is time to really expose the human suffering how the Woyanes are commiting various attrocities against Ethiopians. May God help you expose the Ethiopian secret prisons where Ethiopians are punished in the hands of the Woyanes, and the hidden genocide committed aginst some ethnic groups in Ethiopia?

    Jaalataa Dhugaa
    Ethiopia

  6. I know Bekele from school days at the then Haile Selassie Uniersity Addis Ababa. His concern for fellow human beings is admirable. Congratualtions,Beke!

  7. This guy is very talented and experienced technocratic diplomat of Oromo origin of East Africa. He was an activist in the 1960’s as a student and became apolitical bread earner since the Dergue era.

    Good for him Congradulation!

  8. Sir; I vow thou and say Congratulation!!! Genius person like you from Ade Oromia, who have proven excellent, should become our Prime Minster and Presidents. International success is an achievement that excels anything else, for it comes through well developed human talent and connectivity supported by personal effort and institutional success. Sir, when would you run for the Presidency or whatever executive position there is, in Ethiopia? Wishing you all the best,

    Sincerely yours,

    Kidus

  9. Dear Mr. Geleta,
    Frist of all I just wanted to say Many many congratulations to you and your family for all the achievements you made. It’s your tireless hard work and compassion to make differences in your fellow humans especially those at risk, and the trust and intellect your colleagues wintnessed in you that kept calling you for more and more challenges and responsibilities.

    I met you a couple of times when you came to Ifo refugee camp in Kenya as a Program manager for CARE Canada. At that time I was one of refugee teachers in the camp for refugee children. We (teachers) were requested to present charts from each schools in the camp that reflect the opinions of refugee communities in an attempt to assess the possibility of self administration for refugees. At our meetings we had the opportunity to have you and the UNHCR social work officer to make feedbacks on the charts we presented. In fact, you shared with us your wealthy experiences and intellect in regard to the structures of administration (from donors to refugees). To shorten the story, personally I learned a lot from you. Today I am here in Canada, came 11 years ago. I just bumped into your name online; as it clicked my mind I continued reading more info about you and felt confident that it’s you.
    Keep it up!
    May God be with you and guide you always.
    Mekonnen G.

  12. Congratulation Ato. Bekele on your appointment as The Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

    Your hard work and dedication for humanitarian cause is a great example of contributions made by other refugees and immigrants in various parts of the world.

    Thank you and congratulation!

  13. As Ethiopian-American, I am delighted to see some one from Ethiopia to be able to hold such an important position. I believe he would be a great leader. I wish him and the Red Cross the best.

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