IFPRI and the Ethiopia Strategy Support Program (ESSP) are saddened by the passing of Ato Newai Gebre-Ab, Chief Economic Adviser to the former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, yesterday February 24, 2020. Ato Newai was a great champion of IFPRI’s work and served as the chair of ESSP’s National Advisory Committee for the past decade and guided in that capacity our research in the country. He was an admirable person who made many contributions to Ethiopia’s development.
He was also the founder of the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), the major economic think tank in the country.
He had a great vision for the country and was also kind and caring, constructive, and with a great intellect.
IFPRI-ESSP and the larger IFPRI community will miss him dearly and we would like to convey our sincere condolences to his family.
This statement is adapted from the original, posted on IFPRI’s Ethiopia Strategy Support Program page.