Online Consultation Platform to Gather Public Opinion on Draft Bills Inaugurated

Addis Ababa: Online consultation platform, code named E-Consultation, developed to gather public opinion on draft bills inaugurated today.The online platform is prepared by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology in collaboration with Ministry of Justice and EU.The online application would enable the public to post their opinions and recommendations on draft laws and regulation that are issued by various institutions prior to their final approval.State Minister of Innovation and Technology, Yishirun Alemayhu said on the occasion that the online technology will be instrumental to redress grievances that might be voiced by the public and will help to enhance public participation by expressing their opinions on draft laws and regulation online before they are approved.He added that the Ministry of Innovation and Technology is working with stakeholders to ensure equity in the administration of justice by using digital technologies.Justice State Minister Belayehun Yirga said that the E-Consultation will curtail physical presence of the public in their attempts to forward their comments and suggestions as it would enable them provide comment right from where they are.He added that a directive that provides for the participation of the public on drafting laws is prepared to ensure that public opinions and comments are properly incorporated in the process of drafting bills.Representative of the EU, Leul Habte for his part stated that the EU will continue to support Ethiopia's efforts to increase efficiency on trade.In the meantime, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology and the Ministry of Justice have inked MoU pertaining to their collaboration to ensure the effective utilization of the new technology that has just been developed.State Minister of Innovation and Technology, Yisherun Alemayehu and State Minister of Justice Belayihun Yirga has signed the MoU on behalf of their respective ministries.Source: Ethiopian News Agency