MONROVIA — Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Tamrat Layne Admassu has pledged support for Liberia’s development agenda, offering assistance in leadership training, humanitarian initiatives, disability inclusion, and impact investment partnerships aimed at empowering local communities.
Speaking Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Tamrat said he and his partners stand ready to collaborate with the Liberian Government, civil society organizations, and private institutions to advance human capacity development and sustainable investment across the country.
Tamrat, who served as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister during the transitional government from 1991 to 1995 following the fall of the Derg regime, described Liberia as a nation of enormous natural wealth and untapped opportunity. “This is my first time in Liberia, but not the last time,” Tamrat said. He noted that Liberia and Ethiopia share similar historical experiences, including civil conflict, democratic transition, and post-war development challenges.
He revealed that he had met with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and other senior government officials, including members of the judiciary, to discuss potential cooperation in leadership development, governance, and economic empowerment. According to Tamrat, the talks focused on initiatives that would directly benefit ordinary Liberians while strengthening institutional accountability and human capacity.
Tamrat praised President Boakai for his humility and commitment to improving the lives of Liberians.
“I found out that His Excellency the President is a wise and humble person who wants to do something good for his people,” he said. A major focus of his visit centers on persons living with disabilities. Tamrat disclosed that one of his first engagements upon arriving in Liberia was a dinner meeting with members of the disability community, hosted by the National Commission on Disabilities.
“There is no disability in the eyes of God; there may only be lack of opportunity,” he declared, stressing that disability should not be viewed as inability but rather as a lack of inclusion. Earlier, Apostle Dr. J. Aaron Wright, Acting Executive Director of the National Commission on Disabilities, outlined recent activities by the Commission, including the launch of its strategic plan and participation in international conferences on disability and electoral inclusion in Abuja, Nigeria, and Dakar, Senegal.
Wright said Liberia took part in discussions on disability data management, protection policies, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in electoral processes across Africa. He disclosed that the National Commission on Disabilities and the National Elections Commission are working toward signing a memorandum of understanding to ensure persons with disabilities are included in all electoral programs in Liberia.
“We are very intentional about inclusion and national development,” Wright said, thanking President Boakai for his continued support to the disability community.
Wright also introduced Tamrat as a longstanding international partner and friend of Liberia interested in supporting developmental and investment initiatives.
Tamrat further disclosed his association with Kula Group, an international impact investment company that promotes community-centered investment models using blockchain-based governance systems. The company recently announced his appointment to its senior advisory team to support governance and regional partnerships in emerging markets.
He said the company’s approach differs from traditional extractive investment models by ensuring local communities directly benefit from projects through employment, infrastructure support, and participation in decision-making. Potential investment areas include agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and mining, he said. “Our goal is not to extract from Africa but to empower the people,” Tamrat emphasized.
Tamrat rose to prominence as a leader of the Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement during the Ethiopian civil war before becoming Prime Minister in 1991.
He later served as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister. After leaving office, he served about 12 years in prison on corruption charges in Ethiopia before his release in 2008. Since then, he has become active in Christian ministry, humanitarian work, and leadership development initiatives across Africa and the United States.
