Addis Ababa, August 22, 2025 (FMC) – The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) announced plans to hold agenda-setting consultations and elect representatives from the Ethiopian diaspora communities in North America and Canada as part of its ongoing nationwide dialogue process.
Briefing the media on current activities, Commission spokesperson Tibebu Tadesse underscored that the initiative is designed to ensure inclusivity and broad participation. He stressed that the Commission is reaching out not only to Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent living abroad, but also to diaspora institutions and associations.
According to Tibebu, preparations are underway to convene agenda-setting sessions and representative elections in North America on August 30, 2025, with the Canadian consultations to follow shortly afterward. To maximize participation, the Commission will facilitate both in-person and virtual engagement, supported by an ongoing registration process that will assist in arranging venues and logistical needs.
He urged diaspora members to take an active role in the process, emphasizing that their contributions are vital to the success of the dialogue.
The spokesperson also disclosed that the Commission, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Prisons Administration, is making arrangements to include citizens currently in custody in the dialogue process. He noted that earlier consultations in South Africa had been “successful in every respect,” providing valuable lessons for the upcoming diaspora engagements.
The Ethiopian National Dialogue, launched in 2021, is a government-mandated yet autonomous initiative aimed at addressing the country’s deep-rooted political, social, and ethnic divisions. Its overarching goal is to build a broad national consensus on pressing issues and establish a platform for transparent and constructive debate.