Addis Ababa, November 14, 2025 (FMC) — The Ethiopia National Dialogue Commission has reaffirmed that political parties hold a central and decisive role in advancing the ongoing national dialogue, describing their involvement as essential for resolving differences and building sustainable national consensus.
Speaking at a consultative forum organized by the Commission in Adama, Chief Commissioner Professor Mesfin Araya emphasized that political parties’ active participation is vital to the credibility and effectiveness of the national consultation process. The forum, he said, is designed to strengthen their engagement as the country moves through critical stages of the dialogue.
Professor Mesfin stated that the Commission has completed most of its nationwide agenda-gathering work and is now compiling and drafting agendas that will guide the upcoming national dialogue conference. He recalled that citizens, political parties, scholars, associations, institutions, prominent individuals, and diaspora communities all contributed to shaping the agenda, making the process broadly representative.
He noted that more than 80 percent of political parties have remained actively involved in the consultation, assuming ownership of the national dialogue as a collective effort. The Adama forum, he added, serves to further consolidate their role in the phases ahead.
Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council Chairperson, Solomon Ayele, said the forum marks an important step toward supporting a peaceful political transition and addressing long-standing national differences through dialogue. He stressed that the Council has been working from the outset to ensure that the consultation remains inclusive, transparent, and independently managed.
According to Solomon, the national dialogue represents a decisive moment for building trust and shaping a renewed political culture across the country. He noted that the Council has helped its member parties develop a clear understanding of the objectives and procedures of the consultation and has ensured that all their agendas were collected, organized, and submitted to the Commission as a unified document.