Addis Ababa, November 6, 2026 (FMC) – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on governing and opposition parties across Africa to establish common ground on key national development priorities that can be sustained beyond electoral cycles and changes of government.
Addressing the Second African Political Parties Summit in Addis Ababa today, the Prime Minister proposed that political parties agree on a number of long-term national goals, supported by clear milestones that citizens can use to assess progress.
He stressed that although political parties may advance different policies and compete for public support, certain national development efforts should continue regardless of which party wins an election.
“The opposition can support the goal while questioning the plan,” he said, emphasizing the importance of constructive political engagement in which governments remain answerable for the effectiveness, cost and implementation of their policies.
Prime Minister Abiy said governments should welcome such scrutiny and use questions raised by opposition parties to improve policy outcomes and public service delivery.
Drawing on Ethiopia’s experience, he described the Medemer philosophy of the Prosperity Party as an approach that brings together the different strengths of society around a shared national purpose.
He said the party had brought organizations with different regional roots into a single national political organization, with nearly 17 million members expected to take responsibility for Ethiopia as a whole.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of political inclusion, noting that the Prosperity Party had chosen not to field candidates for 15 percent of parliamentary seats in this year’s election.
He further stated that the Medemer Government, formed last month, includes leaders from opposition parties, reflecting the principle that political differences should not prevent parties from contributing to the country’s progress.
On accountability, he said party leaders must be subject to the same rules as other members, adding that the way political leaders treat those who disagree with them is among the most important tests of their commitment to democratic governance.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for political parties to prepare a new generation of leaders, warning that countries risk losing momentum when experienced leaders fail to develop capable successors.
He called for younger party members to be entrusted with responsibility and for those demonstrating sound judgment and integrity to be advanced into leadership positions.
In this regard, he announced that Ethiopia would contribute through the African Leadership Excellence Academy, opening its training programmes to political parties across the continent.
Turning to Ethiopia’s development experience, Abiy said the country’s Medemer philosophy also guides its efforts to mobilize collective capabilities and pursue long-term national projects.
He cited the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which had stalled when his government took office, as an example of the responsibility to carry forward projects inherited from previous administrations and deliver on the contributions made by citizens at home and abroad.
He also highlighted the Green Legacy Initiative, under which more than 56 billion seedlings have been planted since 2019 to restore degraded land and protect water sources.
The Prime Minister said economic reforms, including opening the telecommunications sector to competition and allowing foreign participation in banking, were aimed at creating greater opportunities for businesses to invest, produce and generate employment.
He emphasized that citizens should receive clear explanations of reforms and experience their benefits through the services they use.
Concluding his remarks, Abiy urged summit participants to return to future meetings with concrete accounts of changes they had made based on lessons exchanged at the gathering.
He said the responsibilities of government extend beyond electoral outcomes, noting that citizens ultimately judge political convictions by the improvements they bring to everyday life.