The Acting Legal Adviser of the Department of State and the Washington Foreign Law Society are pleased to honor the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for its role promoting peace in the East Africa region
Ticket Prices:
General Admission: $65.00
WFLS Member Price: $50.00
Student Tickets: $30.00
**Please register by October 18, 2019**
Marik String
Acting Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State
Marik String serves as Acting Legal Adviser of the Department of State. In this capacity, he advises the Department and Secretary of State on all legal issues arising in connection with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Department.
Mr. String has 15 years of legal, policy, and military experience at the Department of State, Department of Defense, United States Senate, think tanks in the United States and overseas, and in private legal practice.
Mr. String was educated at Georgetown University (J.D., Global Law Scholar), where he was an editor for The Georgetown Law Journal; the University of Vienna (M.A., Fulbright Scholar); and the University of Notre Dame (B.A.). He speaks fluent German.
His Excellency Fitsum Arega Gebrekidan
Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States of America
Fitsum Arega presently is the Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States of America.
Previously, he served as the Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) following his appointment in November 2018. This is the position he had also held from 2013 until the beginning of 2018. Under his leadership, the Investment Commission played a catalytic role in Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth, and the Commission has received broad accolades for its efforts as evidenced by the numerous international awards it has received (including from the World Bank and UNCTAD). His leadership at EIC resulted in net FDI increase to over USD 4 billion in 2018 from approximately USD 1 billion in 2012, supporting very high GPD growth during the period. He promoted Ethiopia as an investment and sourcing destination, traveling to over 40 countries and meeting with global businesses and brand leaders.
From April to December 2018, Mr. Fitsum served as Chief of Staff to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and assisted in restructuring federal government agencies and steering the prime minister’s office.Prior to these appointments, he served as Head of the Addis Ababa Investment Agency, Head of the Addis Ababa Trade and Industry Bureau, and has served in different public enterprises as a board chairman and member. Mr. Fitsum has an MA in Development Economics and Policy Management from the University of Manchester, an MBA from the Open University Business School, and a PGD in Local Government Systems and Management from the University of Birmingham. Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Mr. Fitsum is married and has four children.
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WFLS gratefully acknowledges the generous support of this year’s WFLS sponsors:
HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP
DEBRA and MICHAEL DECKER
MUIR PATENT LAW
PHOTOGRAPHY: Brad Edelman, Wei Qian