Yilma Deressa

Yilma Deressa sought American support for Ethiopia’s reconstruction a decade before becoming its ambassador in Washington. As vice minister of finance, he met President Franklin Roosevelt on 13 July 1943 and handed him an aide-mémoire criticizing the restrictions imposed by Ethiopia’s wartime arrangements with Britain. Speaking for Emperor Haile Selassie, he asked for an American jurist to advise on their revision, diplomatic support, technical assistance, and help securing access to the sea. Roosevelt forwarded the document to Secretary of State Cordell Hull for discussion. ⁴

In a separate submission to Hull, dated 12 July, Yilma requested $50 million in credit and silver assistance. He explained that ordinary tax revenue barely covered current administration and could not finance the rehabilitation of roads, bridges, agriculture, and industry. His proposals included settling farmers displaced by war, providing the means to cultivate idle land, and guaranteeing markets for crops. He also described currency and transport difficulties. He presented increased agricultural production as a contribution to the Allied war effort. ⁵

Yilma had studied in Alexandria and at the London School of Economics before serving in Ethiopian finance and commerce. As ambassador from 1953, he continued to link development with diplomatic support. In June 1955, he discussed aviation and port loans with Assistant Secretary George Allen and resisted a deadline for settling Ethiopia’s disputed boundary with Somalia through negotiations with Italy. Washington subsequently helped prevent the imposition of an immediate mediation deadline, but made clear that its support depended on progress toward a settlement before Somali independence in 1960. ^{1, 2, 6}

A later World Bank briefing traces Yilma’s service as foreign minister, finance minister, and minister of commerce, industry, and tourism. Its chronology places the end of his Washington posting in March 1958, while the Ethiopian embassy’s retrospective roster gives April 1957. Those incompatible dates remain unresolved. ^{1, 3}