-Lawmakers extend commission’s working period
ADDIS ABABA – The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) stated that it had collected agenda in more than 1,231 woredas, as its term was extended for an additional year to achieve its objective of ensuring national consensus nationwide.
In an emergency session held yesterday, the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR) evaluated the commission’s performance and, by a majority vote, extended its working period for an additional year to accomplish its objectives.
Presenting the commission’s three-year work performance to the HoPR yesterday, ENDC Chief Commissioner Prof. Mesfin Araya reported that approximately 100,125 people had participated in the National Dialogue process, including Diaspora members and university lecturers.
He said that agenda-gathering consultations were held in more than 1,231 districts across the nation to foster national unity and address conflicts in a sustainable manner.
Mesfin stated that over 1,000 representatives from ten states were involved in the agenda collection process designed to achieve national consensus across the country.
The commission has implemented its strategic plan—which began with mapping the regions involved in the dialogue since its inception—and has registered significant achievements.
Training was provided to 8,500 members, ranging from grassroots participants to higher-level officials, the Chief Commissioner recalled.
The UNDP and the Ministry of Finance facilitated funding, providing a total of over 1 billion Birr during the three-year period, while the commission effectively utilized 962 million Birr, he said.
Prof. Mesfin noted that the commission was unable to conduct agenda gathering in eight woredas in the Amhara state and throughout Tigray.
Challenges faced by the ENDC over the past three years included difficulties in identifying participants, minimal participation from contending parties, and instability in some states. External and internal influences led to interruptions in the National Dialogue process, preventing the commission from achieving its mission as scheduled, the Chief Commissioner added.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2025
