H.E. Birhanie Yadessa
State Minister at the Ministry of Mines | Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
H.E. Birhanie Yadessa is the State Minister at the Ministry of Mines (MoM) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with nearly 19 years of progressive professional and leadership experience in earth sciences, geological engineering, and large-scale national infrastructure development.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Earth Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Geological Engineering. His professional career evolved through roles as an Engineering Geologist, Geological Engineer, and Geotechnical Engineer, advancing to Senior Expert and Executive Leadership positions.
H.E. Birhanie Yadessa has made outstanding contributions to engineering geology and geotechnical investigation, planning, design, and supervision of major infrastructure projects. Let alone his contributions to building, road, and bridge projects, he has participated in the geotechnical investigation and design of more than 20 large-scale dam projects and major tunneling mega projects, contributing significantly to engineering safety, resilience, and sustainable development.
During his service at the Federal Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise (WWDSE), the Ethiopian Construction Design and Supervision Works Corporation (ECDSWC), and later the Ethiopian Engineering Corporation (EEC), he played a decisive role in strengthening institutional performance. Most notably, with other leaders and managers, he transformed the Geological and Geotechnical Unit into one of the leading government investigation, design, and supervision sectors in Ethiopia, through the introduction of quality systems, professional excellence, and integrated service delivery.
His exceptional performance and leadership have been recognized through prestigious national and institutional awards, including:
Best Performing Professional and Team Leader at the Federal Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise (WWDSE)
Best Sub-Process and Best Sub-Process Manager at the Ethiopian Construction Design and Supervision Works Corporation (ECDSWC)
Gold Award recipient as Best Industry Expert in a National-Level Competition organized by the Abyssinia Awards
Prior to his appointment to the Ministry of Mines, H.E. Birhanie Yadessa served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) at the Ethiopian Engineering Corporation (EEC), where he led multidisciplinary Geological and Geotechnical engineering operations and played his role in spearheading strategic institutional reforms.
He is widely known for his strategic and systems-oriented approach, strong commitment to teamwork and collaboration, and a consistent record of on-time delivery of complex projects. He has successfully built energetic, disciplined, and high-performing teams, and has demonstrated excellence in intra-organizational, inter-institutional, and external stakeholder integration.
H.E. Birhanie Yadessa has completed numerous certified professional trainings that support leadership development, engineering management, quality assurance, and institutional capacity building.