Daniel Kibret () is an Ethiopian politician and former deacon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church who has served as advisor of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since 2018. He is also the director of state-owned news agency Ethiopian News Agency.
Career
Daniel Kibret was ordained as a deacon to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and became a preacher in Mahibere Kidusan.
On 23 June 2018, he was nominated as a director of the Ethiopian News Agency after a House of Federation vote. From 285 members, 126 MPs were against his nomination. Kibret denied being a member of the Prosperity Party, instead saying he is an advisor of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on social affairs.
Controversies
Daniel Kibret has been criticized for his religious tendency from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In 2021, the United States sanctioned Kibret for referring to Tigrayan as "devil" amidst tension during the Tigray War. He also called on Ethiopians to "exterminate Woyane" on 24 January 2022 during a speech, which was shared on social media.
In March 2022, Daniel Kibret responded to a controversial comment by Abune Mathias, in which he said "the [Tigray] war was started to decimate Tigreans from the face of the earth". Kibret responded to the Patriarch that he intended to support the H.R. 6600, which was sponsored by American representative Tom Malinowski.
References
Ethiopian government officials
21st-century Ethiopian politicians
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)