Yohannes Hailemicael was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is a diligent graduate from Addis Ababa University with a Bachelor’s of Animal Science. Yohannes has been actively involved in student initiatives on campus as well as voluntary community services at different non-governmental organizations. He is currently living in Turkey and is fluent in Turkish. At the Yenching Academy, he will pursue Politics and International Relations where he will be focusing on Sino-African relations. His key research interest is China's development policies in Ethiopia and its future. He also hopes to learn and have a better understanding of Chinese language, culture and life style. After completing his Master’s, Yohannes plans to pursue a PhD in his concentration and start a career.