Ethiopia is on the verge of embarking on the actual task of the long awaited national dialogue and reconciliation that the nation seeks more than ever. The government along with other stakeholders has been taking actions towards its realization. Such process of organizing and holding dialogues at national level is expected to be more inclusive, credible, and transparent so that it must be in a better position to be accepted by every citizens and stakeholders.
Since the onset of such gestures, the incumbent has made the road smooth for the establishment the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission and provided the necessary support to implement what has to be done. The Commission, on the other part, has taken the responsibility and assigned officials and worked with different bodies in order to take all the crucial steps to its success.
The commission has been playing its part to address all parts of the country by leaving no one behind, rather by entertaining all ideas from every walk of life. The commission has also been calling upon every individual, including the ones who take up arms for struggle, to contribute its share to the realization of the dialogue and reconciliation.
After so many rigorous and breath taking efforts in the past few months, the commission has set to start its final journey to gather agendas that are worth discussing. The commission is also expecting every sect of the society to participate in the process as it needs a unified hands.
To this regard, the national Dialogue Commission Commissioner, Mohamoud Dirir told a local media that the commission is at its final stage of gathering agendas. As to the commissioner, the national Dialogue Commission is on its key stage of implementing the agenda- setting process which is started in the capital this week.
Surely, the ongoing agenda gathering process is going to be implemented in other regional states. Similarly, the commissioner said that the process is in the pipeline in the Amhara and Tigray regional states to conduct the dialogue processes.
The process of holding an inclusive and credible national dialogue in Ethiopia is reaching a critical stage with an agenda gathering event to be held in the capital city, as to the commissioner, “Ethiopia is gearing up for a national dialogue, which has now reached a big chapter: agenda gathering.”
It is vital to understand the international picture that Addis Ababa has built for the past many decades. Hence, starting such process from the center will have a great advantage. The commissioner has also supported the idea saying “We are soon entering the agenda gathering process in Addis Ababa, not just the capital of Ethiopia but also the headquarters of African Union, and a distinguished diplomatic center globally.” This choice reflects the city’s diverse population, its status as a key African political and diplomatic center, and its designation as the world’s third diplomatic center.
Following the Addis Ababa dialogue sessions, agenda gathering will be rolled out across the remaining parts of the country. He reiterated the commission’s call for armed groups to engage peacefully in the dialogue processes.
“We continue to urge those who have taken up arms to join this process peacefully. This call will persist,” he affirmed.
Mohamoud Dirir expressed optimism that the inclusive and credible approach will attract greater international support. “External support is increasing compared to the past. We recently received vehicles from Japan, and the European Union has also been providing support,” he said.
Others may follow suit seeing that the dialogue processes is inclusive, he added. However, the most important aspect is that Ethiopians themselves are reaching a stage where we can solve our problems through a participatory, credible, and inclusive dialogue that excludes no actor but welcomes all ideas, even those that may differ from or oppose the government.
In a similar vein, delivering her press briefing to local and international media lately, Hirut Gebreselassie, Deputy Chief Commissioner, said that the national dialogue sessions will be bringing representatives drawn from various segment of the society.
She added that all the necessary preparations have been made to start the process in the capital city. These dialogue sessions will also continue in regional states and other city administration as per set plans, Hirut said.
She called on Ethiopians to actively participate and contribute their share for the successful conduct of the dialogue processes of this critical stage.
According to the deputy chief commissioner, the participants who come to this stage will bring agenda ideas through consultation and discussion; subsequently they will organize ideas once they have been established as common points.
Diverse stakeholders will choose their representatives to engage in the national dialogue. Representatives from various sectors of society including political parties, religious institutions, civic societies, governmental bodies, as well as representatives from various institutions and associations, will engage in discussions during the dialogue.
The commission has carried out various activities including the completion of identification of participants in eleven regional states and two city administrations in free and impartial manner.
Recall that Ethiopia has established a National Dialogue Commission to rectify and resolve age- old challenges facing the country and reach consensus on major issues of the country among Ethiopians through dialogue and transfer a peaceful country to the future generation.
Just yesterday, Ethiopia and the National Dialogue Commission officially start the first-ever phase of national dialogue in Addis Ababa. It is the most awaited nationwide consultation project so as to put an end to historical and contemporary contradictions of the country. As it is expected, the commission has set to start its agenda gathering event in the capital city.
The eleven-member Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission is entrusted with promoting an all-inclusive consultations and reconciliation process that will mend rifts, foster agreement on important national matters, and assist the nation in resolving its intricate difficulties.
Since its establishment, the Commission has been conducting various activities including identification of participants. The national dialogue sessions in Addis Ababa run starting from 29 May to June 4, 2024, bringing representatives drawn from various segments of the society.
It is reported that this is a stage in which the participants will jointly select agenda items pertinent for discussion and also representatives from respective localities will be elected to join other participants from regions and other stakeholders for a dialogue to be conducted at national level.
BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 30 MAY 2024
