The Chief Executive of Eritrea was the premier position of the Federation

Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea

The Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea was a structure between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It was created by the approval of the Federal Act in Ethiopia and the Eritrean Constitution on ....

 between Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

 and Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...

. It was first held by Tedla Bairu

Tedla Bairu

Tedla Bairu was an Eritrean political figure. He was the last independent head of state of Eritrea in 1952. He was then the first Chief Executive of Eritrea from 1952 in federation with Ethiopia, until he resigned in 1955. He was described as an "opportunist" by his opponents for his unwavering...

 while its last occupant was Abiye Abebe

Abiye Abebe

Abiye Abebe was an Ethiopian politician and son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie. During the 1940s and 1950s he was Minister of War, and later served as Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior...

.

On 20 May 1960 the post was dissolved and replaced by the Chief Administrator of Eritrea, which was appointed by the Emperor of Ethiopia

Emperor of Ethiopia

The Emperor of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974. The Emperor was the head of state and head of government, with ultimate executive, judicial and legislative power in that country...

 Haile Selassie I. This in effect dissolved the independent Federal structure and was a prelude to the official, possibly illegal, annexation of Eritrea as a province of Ethiopia

Provinces of Ethiopia

Until 1995 Ethiopia was divided into provinces, further subdivided into awrajjas or districts. They were replaced by regions and two chartered cities with the adoption of a new constitution that year...

 on 14 November 1962.

List of Chief Executives of Eritrea (1952–1960)

#	Name	Assumed office	Left office
1	Tedla Bairu Tedla Bairu Tedla Bairu was an Eritrean political figure. He was the last independent head of state of Eritrea in 1952. He was then the first Chief Executive of Eritrea from 1952 in federation with Ethiopia, until he resigned in 1955. He was described as an "opportunist" by his opponents for his unwavering...	15 September 1952	29 July 1955
2	Asfaha Woldemikael	8 August 1955	December 1959
3	Abiye Abebe Abiye Abebe Abiye Abebe was an Ethiopian politician and son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie. During the 1940s and 1950s he was Minister of War, and later served as Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior...	December 1959	20 May 1960