Thousands Gather in Addis Ababa for Long-Awaited National Dialogue

Starting Wednesday, over 4,000 participants have gathered in Addis Ababa for the final conference of Ethiopia’s National Dialogue. The forum kicked off at the Addis International Convention Center and is scheduled to continue for the next several weeks.

Its launch follows years of input collection by the National Dialogue Commission (NDC), which was established in 2021 as an independent government body tasked with fostering reconciliation, building consensus, and steering the country towards sustainable peace.

Through smaller forums and discussions conducted across the country, the NDC has identified primary agendas aggregated under eight pillars. These include Nation-Building, State Structure, Governance Form, Political System, Political Representation, and Electoral Systems, Federal Cities (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa),  Religious Affairs, Historical Grievances, and Reconciliation, Institutional Building, Rule of Law, and Human Rights, Socio-Economic Issues, Farmers, and Pastoralists, Corruption and Good Governance, and Peace building.

The 4,000 designated participants are divided into eight major groups, to deliberate on the eight major agenda items identified. The groups continue their deliberations in closed sessions and are slated to come together to reach a consensus on each of the pillars.

The outcome of these discussions will translate into a binding consensus once the conference ends next month, sources say.

During the grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, senior government officials as well as members of the diplomatic community were present. The ceremony began with prayers and blessings from religious leaders.

While the conference is closed to the media, the NDC has stated it will routinely organize press briefings to update the press on developments.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) delivered a strong message during the opening remarks, underlining that dialogue and consensus is the only way to safeguard Ethiopia’s stability from external and internal threats.

“All nations and nationalities across Ethiopia have their own questions. Everyone must listen to each other’s questions. Especially Oromo and Amhara, without listening to the questions of other nations and nationalities in the country, you cannot resolve the issues and put Ethiopia on a concrete path. This national conference will be successful if nations and nationalities who are large in number listen to those who are small in number. Each must avoid demands that affect others, and capitalize on issues which everyone can benefit from,” said the PM.

He went further to say that a lack of national consensus has allowed external forces to keep Ethiopia fragile and in a state of protracted conflict.

“Whenever there is conflict in Ethiopia, there are foreign countries who rise to tap into our domestic instability as their opportunity. These foreign countries bear a sense of enmity towards Ethiopia. From Gundat to Gura, from Adwa to Maichew, from Karamara to Badme – those foreign forces were there when we fought for our country. They have been looking for all kinds of opportunities to bring down our country. Whenever we are weak internally, they use the opportunity. The reason Ethiopia lost access to the Red sea is the result of this cult interest of our foreign enemies,” said the PM, who refrained from naming the enemies he was referring to.

Also present during the opening ceremony was  AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, who hailed the dialogues as “a landmark in realizing sustainable peace and growth.”

Commissioner Adeoye further stressed that Ethiopia’s peace, stability and unity are critical for the region and the continent in general, serving as the diplomatic capital of Africa and the seat of the African Union Commission.

He further reasserted AUC’s strong commitment to further continue collaborating with Ethiopia for the realization of lasting peace, stability, and the nation’s sustainable growth.

Resolving differences through national dialogue will open a new chapter for Ethiopia, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu stated during the opening of the conference.

“No country was built or profited from conflict in world history. Countries that have attained success today were able to prioritize their national interests by listening to one another and discussing,” Workneh said, adding that differences can only be resolved through a peaceful manner and dialogue.

“The traditional problem resolving mechanisms are key instruments that can help heal Ethiopia’s wounds. There is no need to search for outside solutions for internal problems,” said the Executive Secretary, emphasizing the need for focusing on the plenty of positive and model mechanisms internally.

Commissioner Melaku Woldemariam, one of the eight commissioners of the National Dialogue, said the process belongs to all Ethiopians and requires broad public ownership. He underscored the important role of the media in supporting the process, noting that the success of the dialogue depends on the collective efforts of all stakeholders rather than on any single institution.
 
He also clarified that no decisions have been made in advance and that conclusions will emerge only after participants have thoroughly discussed the agenda items during the plenary. According to the Commissioner, the discussions are expected to be open, substantive, and more extensive than those held during the agenda collection phase.
 
Melaku added that the Commission will exercise the legal powers entrusted to it to promote the implementation of the recommendations that emerge from the dialogue process. 

Former Nigerian President and African Union Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, stressed the historic significance of the Ethiopian national dialogue for both Ethiopia and the wider African continent. Obasanjo was also among the dignitaries invited to the opening of the conference on Wednesday.

He expressed profound appreciation to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his leadership, patriotism, and dedication to the future of Ethiopia. He also reflected on the deep-rooted historical and social parallels shared between Nigeria and Ethiopia, noting their similar paths in navigating national challenges.

Underscoring the critical importance of drawing lessons from history, the former Nigerian President cautioned that internal conflict yields no benefits and is far more devastating than fighting an external adversary.

He emphasized that nations must diligently guard against the perils of civil strife, urging the public to protect the fabric of their unity.

Lauding Ethiopia’s ongoing peace-building initiatives, Obasanjo commended the National Dialogue Commission for its achievements and preparations to date. He outlined that the primary strategic objectives of the dialogue are to forge a robust, unified society and to rally all Ethiopians around a singular grand vision.

The former President further highlighted that positioning Ethiopia as a leading force in Africa and a beacon of opportunity on the global stage remains a vital strategic pillar of the dialogue.

He expressed confidence that these aspirations are fully attainable, urging the assembly to remain steadfastly focused on these strategic goals to achieve enduring success.

Obasanjo arrived in PM Abiy’s office on Tuesday, on the eve of the conference launching.

PM Abiy tweeted “Today, on the eve of our historic National Dialogue, I received Ethiopia’s dear friend H.E. Oluṣẹgun Ọbasanjọ in my office to discuss the upcoming National Dialogue and to draw on his wisdom from such journeys, where he shared with us his experience leading the Biafra Peace process. This experience offers a great lesson for Ethiopia’s journey toward ensuring unity and lasting peace through dialogue. Ethiopia remains profoundly grateful for your invaluable contributions!”

Inclusivity Concerns

The Commission and government have stressed the conference is inclusive and all voices are represented. At various times, the NDC has disclosed ongoing engagements with armed groups and also demobilized members. The government also says armed forces who have laid down their guns and joined peaceful political space have been part of the initiative.

Nonetheless, opposition forces and analysts stress that important voices in Ethiopia’s politics are still left out. They argue armed forces like Fano, OLA, as well as Tigray’s political and military leaders are still an outstanding concern for full implementation of the outcome of the national dialogue conference.

For instance, the leaders of the TPLF have withdrawn from the national dialogue process, undermining the Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) and reinstating a pre-war Tigray regional council. Still, hundreds of representatives from opposition parties in Tigray and other organizations are taking part in the forum. Getachew Reda, former TIA president and current federal advisor, is also part of the deliberations.

On the day the national dialogue conference kicked-off in Addis Ababa, the US ambassador to Ethiopia traveled to Mekelle, as part of the effort to restore the thinning relationship between the federal government and Tigray’s political leaders.

“Ambassador Massinga visited the Tigray Region to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to peace, stability, and humanitarian recovery. During his visit, the Ambassador met with humanitarian implementers delivering US supported life-saving assistance, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and stability to ensure recipient communities transition away from emergency relief toward long-term self-reliance. He also met with political and civil society leaders to stress the urgent need for dialogue and the full implementation of COHA to achieve a durable peace and prevent further conflict in the region,” reads a statement issued by the embassy.

The Tigray president office, which is now led by TPLF chairperson Debretsion Gebremichael, disclosed that Massinga met with the deputy regional president, Amanuel Assefa. However, sources disclose that the ambassador returned from Mekelle without being able to meet Debretsion and TIA President Lt. General Tadesse Worede.

Tadesse has not appeared in public since the TPLF moved to oust him and replace him with the party chairman earlier this year.

Obasanjo, who is mandated by the AU to reinitiate implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, was also in Mekelle a month ago. Nonetheless, Obasanjo did not make any ongoing progress public. While the federal government and TPLF blame each other for breaching the Pretoria Agreement, a way out of the stalemate remains elusive, with the federal government accusing the TPLF of conspiring with foreign enemies, and the US State Department subsequently sanctioning hardline members of the party.

National Dialogue and Constitutional Amendment

Amidst such complications regarding inclusivity, the dialogue is expected to lead to constitutional amendment in order to resolve some issues raised during the agenda gathering process.

PM Abiy also hinted that the dialogue might lead to constitutional amendments. During his speech at the opening ceremony, he stated that Ethiopia should ultimately have a constitution that reflects broad national consensus.

Referring to the ratification of the US Constitution in 1788, the premiere noted that it was written by 55 delegates who produced a document that has endured for centuries. He argued that Ethiopia should also strive to establish a constitution founded on wide public agreement.

“Our more than 4,000 participants have the maturity to discuss issues positively impacting Ethiopians,” the PM said. “No one should attempt to change the Constitution without such a broad national discussion.”

The Prime Minister stressed that constitutional change should emerge through an inclusive and consultative process rather than unilateral action.

Ethiopia’s current Constitution, which has been in force for more than three decades, is among the major issues on the agenda of the National Dialogue Conference.

Regarding the initiation of constitutional amendments, Article 104 of the existing Constitution has specific requirements.

“Any proposal for constitutional amendment, if supported by two-thirds majority vote in the House of Peoples’ Representatives, or by a two-thirds majority vote in the House of the Federation or when one-third of the State Councils of the member States of the Federation, by a majority vote in each Council have supported it, shall be submitted for discussion and decision to the general public and to those whom the amendment of the Constitution concerns,” reads the provision.

Nonetheless, initiating this article is not viable, according to experts.

“It is difficult to amend the constitution based on this provision. For instance, the Constitution states two-thirds of each regional state council must approve, but since Tigray has no regional council recognized by the federal government, and further, Tigray is not being led by a political system that is in good terms with the ruling party, this would be difficult. In addition, there are regional states, political forces and groups who argue they were not around when the 1995 constitution was ratified. These groups do not accept the constitution from inception so they do not want to be governed by its provisions regarding constitutional amendment. They don’t want to participate in the amendment process of the constitution they did not participate in formulating. In addition, if TPLF participated in the constitutional amendment process, TPLF leaders would never allow the cancellation of Article 39, which enshrines self-determination including the right to secession. Trying to amend the constitution through the constitutional provisions will end only with the political elites deciding on the fate of the nation. The government wanted to amend the constitution through broad-based public discussion from the grassroots, instead of an elite bargain,” argues an expert close to the issue. 

“This is why an extra-constitutional venue is necessary to amend the constitution. The national dialogue is designed to serve as a new extra-constitutional venue to amend the constitution, and lead to a new social contract. The consensus through the national dialogue will lead to a new social contract,” said the expert.