▁Technology ▁Commission ▁as ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁ID RC - UN U ▁spons ored ▁research ▁project ▁" Res earch ▁and ▁Development ▁in ▁R ural ▁Settings ". ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁project ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Eth iop ian ▁Flora ▁Project . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁president ▁of ▁As m ara ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁and ▁held ▁this ▁post ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁From ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁he ▁has ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁General ▁Manager ▁of ▁the ▁Eth iop ian ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Author ity . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁T ew ol de ▁put ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁energy ▁into ▁negoti ations ▁at ▁the ▁various ▁b iod iversity - related ▁for a , ▁especially ▁the ▁Convention ▁on ▁Bi ological ▁D iversity ▁( CB D ) ▁and ▁the ▁Food ▁and ▁Agricult ure ▁Organ ization . ▁In ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁built ▁up ▁a ▁strong ▁group ▁of ▁well - prep ared ▁African ▁negoti ators ▁who ▁began ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁G 7 7 ▁and ▁China ▁Group . ▁Africa ▁came ▁out ▁with ▁un ited , ▁strong , ▁progress ive ▁positions , ▁such ▁as ▁no ▁pat ents ▁on ▁living ▁materials ▁and ▁the ▁recognition ▁of ▁community ▁rights . ▁This ▁strength ened ▁the ▁G 7 7 ▁and ▁China ' s ▁negoti ating ▁positions . ▁ ▁T ew ol de ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁recommend ations ▁from ▁the ▁Organisation ▁of ▁African ▁Unity