Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Brings “Our” Vision to the Fore as Country Charts Shared Future: ENDC Chief Commissioner

Addis Ababa, August 22, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s historic National Dialogue has brought a shared national vision to the fore, with Ethiopians from diverse backgrounds demonstrating their commitment to addressing national challenges through consultation and collective understanding, Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) Chief Commissioner Professor Mesfin Araya said.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National Dialogue Conference in Addis Ababa, Professor Mesfin said the dialogue had demonstrated in practice that there is no national challenge Ethiopia cannot address through consultation.

He said consultation is the only way to resolve the country’s challenges, emphasizing that the historic national dialogue has provided a platform for Ethiopians to deliberate on issues of national importance and seek common solutions.

The Chief Commissioner recalled that 4,000 representatives of Ethiopian citizens had spent the past 46 days deliberating on eight major agenda areas, describing their sustained engagement as a significant achievement.

He said the historic process had brought a collective vision of “ours” to the forefront, rather than an outlook centered on “mine,” while demonstrating the strength of Ethiopia’s unity.

The representatives, drawn from different sections of society and parts of the country, demonstrated remarkable commitment by sustaining their deliberations over an extended period, he said, describing their continued engagement as a major success.

Although the dialogue process encountered differences of opinion, disagreements and logistical challenges, the participants continued their deliberations in a spirit of listening and with Ethiopia at the center of their discussions, Professor Mesfin said. He described this as a major achievement and a source of optimism.

The Chief Commissioner stressed that dialogue is not a process that begins and ends in a single day, announcing that the agendas and decisions identified through the conference will continue to be deliberated on in the regions and city administrations.

He further emphasized that Ethiopia can resolve its challenges through dialogue, noting that victory cannot be achieved through weapons. True victory, he said, is realized through the shared success of dialogue.