Addis Ababa, August 22, 2026 (FMC) — Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has hailed Ethiopia’s National Dialogue as an “act of patriotism of the highest order,” commending the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission for bringing together thousands of voices in a collective effort to advance peace, reconciliation and national cohesion.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Conference in Addis Ababa, Kenyatta underscored Ethiopia’s historic significance to Africa, noting the country’s contributions from the victory at Adwa and Emperor Haile Selassie’s international leadership to the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in Addis Ababa.
“Ethiopia’s history is also African history,” Kenyatta said, emphasizing the country’s enduring role in shaping Africa’s political consciousness, unity and dignity.
He said Ethiopia’s diverse peoples, cultures, faiths and traditions should be viewed as a source of national strength rather than division, stressing that the country’s strength lies in the many communities that collectively constitute the nation.
Kenyatta also highlighted the importance of ensuring broader participation in the national dialogue, including reaching out to those who remain outside the process.
“Your peace is not a favor. Your peace is the condition of your own rest, and our peace is a condition for all of us in our region,” he said, linking Ethiopia’s stability to peace and security across the Horn of Africa.
Drawing on the longstanding ties between Ethiopia and Kenya, Kenyatta reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to Ethiopia’s peace and stability and endorsed the principle of “African solutions to African problems.”
He stressed that Africa must increasingly draw on its own institutions, traditions and accumulated wisdom to address its challenges.
Kenyatta further emphasized the importance of dialogue, inclusion and reconciliation in sustaining Ethiopia’s national unity across generations.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Kenyatta said Ethiopia’s reconciliation journey could become a model capable of inspiring the continent, while a more united Africa could, in turn, inspire the wider world.