On February 25, 2017, The Crown Council of Ethiopia named Elias as the recipient of one of the Ethiopian Crown’s most distinguished awards, Grand Officer of the Imperial Order of Emperor Menelik II, for his outstanding contributions over many years to scholarship on Ethiopian and African issues. The medal and certificate were presented by HIH Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie Haile Selassie in an event commemorating the 121st Anniversary of the Victory of ADWA in Washington, D.C., USA.