Belete Molla

Belete Molla
Minister of Innovation and Technology
Assumed office
6 October 2021
PresidentSahle-Work Zewde
Taye Atske Selassie
Prime MinisterAbiy Ahmed
Preceded byAbraham Belay
Chairman of the National Movement of Amhara
Assumed office
24 February 2020
Preceded byDesalagne Chanie
Personal details
Political partyNational Movement of Amhara
EducationAddis Ababa University (PhD)
AwardsErasmus Mundus Scholarship Award (2007)

Belete Molla (Amharic: በለጠ ሞላ) is an Ethiopian politician who was appointed Minister of Innovation and Technology in 2021, and founder and chairman of the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA), a right-wing Amhara nationalist political party in Ethiopia.

Education

Belete has received PhD in philosophy from Addis Ababa University. During his academic years, he published several articles and books related on ethics, political economy, intercultural philosophy, hermeneutics and African philosophy. In 2007, Belete was a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Award.[1][2]

Political career

On 10 June 2018, Belete founded the Amhara nationalist political party the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) in Bahir Dar along with Desalegn Chanie. In February 2020, NaMA Central Committee elected Belete as a chairman while replacing Desalegn.[3] In 2021 general election, NaMA won 5 seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives (HoPR).[4] On 6 October 2021, he was elected as the Minister of Innovation and Technology.[5][6]

Journal Articles

  • Rise and Fall of Essentialist Social Theories: Recapitulation and Critique.” Published in Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities/African Journal Online [7]
  • Beyond Cartesian Philosophy of Essentialism, and the Quest for Intercultural Discourse: Some Examples.” Published in Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities/African Journal Online[8][9]

Recognition

  • Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Award from the European Union, 2007[1]
  • Highlighted as "Minister of the Week" in African Public sector magazine (2022)[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "H.E. Dr. Belete Molla". ITU. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ Ethiopia, Department-Minister Dagmawit Moges; Transport, Minister of; Ethiopia, Logistics Chaltu Sani Ibrahim; Urban, Minister of; Ethiopia, Infrastructure Abrham Belay Berhe; Ethiopia, Minister of Defense Demeke Mekonnen Hassen; Minister, Deputy Prime; Ethiopia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Shide; Ethiopia, Minister of Finance Liya Tadesse. "Belete Molla Getahun » Directory". Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ^ "National Movement of Amhara elects new chairperson". Borkena Ethiopian News. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Abiy's party wins landslide victory in Ethiopia election". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Abiy Administration Nominates Opposition Leaders to New Cabinet". Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Abiy Ahmed's new cabinet, changes and opposition new practice". Borkena Ethiopian News. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ^ Molla, Belete (2017). "Rise and Fall of Essentialist Social Theories: Recapitulation and Critique". Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities. 13 (2): 1–26. doi:10.4314/ejossah.v13i2.1. ISSN 2520-582X.
  8. ^ Molla, Belete (2016). "Beyond Cartesian Philosophy of Essentialism, and the Quest for Intercultural Discourse: Some Examples". Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities. 12 (2). ISSN 1810-4487. Open access icon
  9. ^ Molla, Belete (2016). "Beyond Cartesian Philosophy of Essentialism, and the Quest for Intercultural Discourse: Some Examples". Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities. 12 (2): 25–56. ISSN 2520-582X.
  10. ^ "His Excellency Dr. Belete Molla, Minister of Innovation & Technology, Ethiopia Emerges APS Minister of the Week - Public Sector Magazine". 26 September 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.