Stakeholders Discuss Ethiopia’s Draft Transitional Justice Implementation Roadmap

Addis Ababa: A consultative workshop aimed at enriching Ethiopia's draft Transitional Justice Implementation Roadmap was held today.The draft roadmap designed to guide this phase emphasizes the involvement of civil society organizations in fulfilling coordination responsibilities as mandated by the Transitional Justice Policy.Speaking on the occasion, Justice State Minister Belayhun Yirga noted that the transitional justice policy was developed by independent experts to achieve justice goals effectively.Similarly, consultation forums on developing the roadmap designed by independent experts would be conducted to gather inputs in the coming days.Transitional Justice Expert Team Chairperson, Tadesse Kassa said that while the adoption of the comprehensive policy document is a significant national achievement for Ethiopia, it represents only the initial step.Highlighting the importance of concerted efforts to move forward and establish a strong national transitional justice system, the chairperson added that implementing transitional justice necessitates extensive institutional cooperation, coordination, and the establishment of a rigorous monitoring and support system.According to him, this undertaking is both demanding and complex, requiring thorough planning and sustained commitment from all stakeholders involved.Within the framework of the approved transitional justice policy in Ethiopia, the goals of achieving sustainable peace, comprehensive justice, reconciliation, and establishing the rule of law require outlining the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders.This includes defining their work processes, clearly indicating time frames, and demonstrating coordinated resource collection and utilization.Such clarity and coordination are essential to effectively implement the policy and achieve its objectives, the chairperson stated.Therefore, it is advisable to develop a comprehensive roadmap in advance to ensure the integrated and effective implementation of transitional justice until the mentioned institutions are organized and operational.Such a roadmap provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to manage their activities collaboratively and in a predictable manner.Tadesse pointed out that this proactive approach helps to maintain coherence and continuity in transitional justice efforts from the outset and throughout its implementation phase.It is to be recalled that the Transitional Justice Policy of Ethiopia has been approved by the Council of Ministers on April 2024.The policy aims to oversee and implement the national transitional justice process based on principles of accountability, reconciliation, and reparation.Source: Ethiopian News Agency