Ethiopia’s First-Ever National Dialogue Enters Closing Stage After More Than Five Weeks of Deliberation
Addis Ababa, August 22, 2026 (FMC) — The closing ceremony of Ethiopia’s first-ever National Dialogue Conference is being held in Addis Ababa, bringing more than five weeks of nationwide deliberations involving 4,000 participants toward their conclusion.
President Taye Atske Selassie, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of Federation Agegnehu Teshager and Chief Commissioner of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission Professor Mesfin Araya are attending the ceremony.
Also attending are African Union Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo and IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, along with invited guests, commissioners and participants of the National Dialogue Conference.
The conference officially opened on July 15, 2026, bringing together 4,000 participants representing diverse sections of Ethiopian society and other stakeholders from the country and abroad.
The 37-day conference has featured structured consultations and deliberations around eight major agenda areas, with participants engaging in successive levels of discussion and working to consolidate recommendations toward national consensus.
The ongoing closing ceremony marks the culmination of Ethiopia’s first-ever national dialogue process, which has sought to provide a platform for addressing the country’s deep-rooted political and social differences through dialogue and consultation.