v30_1555 - ÉTHIOPIE - HAILÉ SÉLASSIÉ Médaille de couronnement par Lavrillier, argent 1930 Paris

ETHIOPIA - HAILE SELASSIE

(1930-1974)

Hailé Sélassié (1892-1975) was regent on behalf of Empress Zaouditou since 1916. He became Negus in 1928 and Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930.. Forced to flee at the time of the Italian invasion, he was restored by the English in 1941. In the 1960s, he reigned authoritatively despite some timid liberalization efforts and he took an increasing interest in foreign affairs.. In 1962, he put an end to the autonomy of Eritrea, which became an Ethiopian province.. It follows the creation of a national resistance movement, the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), which participates in the overthrow of the Ethiopian regime, thirty years later, and obtains the independence of Eritrea.. The following year, in 1963, he played a leading role in the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), whose secretariat was established in Addis Ababa.. However, this decade also marks the beginning of conflicts with Somalia around the Ogaden province, and with Sudan, accused by Ethiopia of supporting the Eritrean independence movement.. Nevertheless, Haile Selassie neglects the internal problems of Ethiopia: inequalities, underdevelopment, famines. He was overthrown in 1974 before being assassinated the following year in his prison..