ADDIS ABABA- Elite bargain that includes Prime minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, scholars and competing parties was held yesterday on capitalizing the existing fertile ground to nurture democracy. On the event held at ECA, Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Professor Berhanu Nega, Dr. Merara Gudina and Dr. Aregawi Berhe had presented papers on the culture of democracy in Ethiopia, Federalism, Nation-Nationalities issues, and others. On his presentation, PM, Dr. Abiy Ahmed indicated that the concept of democracy is well known all over the world but problems crop up when they are translated into practice.
He said, Ethiopia is not different from this. As to him, open discussions and exploitations of the available opportunities will allow the bourgeoning of democracy. He noted that while building a democratic culture blaming the past and lamenting wrong turns cannot be a solution for Ethiopia. The past should be taken as a lesson. “We cannot move a single step only focusing on the mistakes of others in the past.” democratic culture blaming the past and lamenting wrong turns cannot be a solution for Ethiopia. The past should be taken as a lesson.
“We cannot move a single step only focusing on the mistakes of others in the past.” Several factors are posing challenges in the democratization process of Ethiopia. However, there are also several enabling factors. The presence of advocacy for justice, diverse society, long history in government, decisiveness towards freedom are among the enabling factors mentioned. According to him, on the way towards democracy political players have to discuss openly and thoroughly.
We cannot bring democracy out of polarity ideas, he said. On his presentation, the premiere indicated that the country needs Ethiopianbased democratic culture that value local situations. The importance of democratic institutions; downsizing the number of competing parities the issue of ethic federalism, government responsibilities, accountability, roles of competing parities towards overcoming the complex process of building democracy, citizen- based democracy, importance of individual and group thoughts, uniform vision to build the nation were among the issues discussed on the event.
Herald FEBRUARY 3/2019
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
