Addis Ababa:Ethiopians have shown the ability to engage in civilized dialogue and build consensus on national issues, according to Professor Mesfin Araya, Chief Commissioner of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC).
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the ENDC has formally delivered its consolidated agenda items and recommendations to the House of People's Representatives, the Federal Government, and Regional Governments. This event was attended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, senior officials from federal and regional levels, diplomats, and representatives of international organizations.
The Commission, established under Proclamation No. 1265/2021, is tasked with addressing Ethiopia's historical grievances and differences through inclusive and structured dialogue. Since its formation, the ENDC conducted consultations across Ethiopia's 12 regional states and the two city administrations of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, gathering over 2,000 agenda submissions from citizens.
These submissions were organized into eight major thematic areas to guide national dialogue and consensus-building. The process concluded with a national conference in Addis Ababa, which saw participation from 4,000 delegates representing various sectors of Ethiopian society, including women, youth, elders, religious leaders, political parties, diaspora members, and persons with disabilities.
Professor Mesfin highlighted that the conference demonstrated the potential for Ethiopians to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue, identifying common ground on key national issues. He emphasized that the success of this phase was due to widespread public participation and political commitment.
The Commission has now submitted its recommendations for further consideration and action by the House of People's Representatives, the House of Federation, federal institutions, and the regional and city administrations. Professor Mesfin underscored the importance of implementing the recommendations and called on all responsible institutions to develop concrete policies and actions accordingly.
He expressed gratitude to citizens, government bodies, civic organizations, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the dialogue process.
