Abdeta’s professional experience is his carrier with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs which included serving as Director General for African Affairs until 2012, Head of the Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit (April 2009-November 2010), Chief of the Cabinet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (July 2006-August 2008), Ethiopia’s Special Envoy to Somalia (August 2008 - March 2009), and Head of the Ethiopian Trade office in Hargeisa, Republic of Somaliland (April 2002 - June 2006) as well as officer for Somalia and Ethiopia’s neighboring states.

He also served as Chief of Staff of the IGAD-led Mediation Team for the Republic of South Sudan and briefly for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission to oversee the Agreement to Resolve the Conflict in South Sudan. He holds a PhD from Northwestern University and is currently the Executive Director of the CDRC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.