Commission Seeks Public Inputs for National Dialogue Agenda
ADDIS ABABA – Commission has begun collecting public inputs to develop agendas for the planned national dialogue.
Ethiopia is currently gearing up for a national dialogue aimed at creating consensus on contentious national issues among all segments of the society.
The three-year dialogue process is being led by the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission or ENDC.
The commission, which is now on the final chapter of its four-phased process of preparations, has already designed key implementation mechanisms to help identify participants, recruit moderators and facilitators and develop agendas for the dialogue.
The mechanisms, designed after extensive discussions held at various levels, are now being implemented.
The commission on Friday invited public inputs to develop the agenda for the national dialogue. The inputs could be submitted to the Commission in person or via email and post.
“The public can propose issues they believe need to be included in agendas for the national dialogue,” the Commission said.
Simultaneously, its officials plan to identify participants for the national dialogue at district level, starting from next week.
Each district is expected to select 50 people, representing at leaat nine segments of the society including women, youth, community leaders/mothers/fathers, business, public servants, teachers, and IDPs.
The participant identification will first begin in the Gambella, Sidama, Harari and South-West states as well as the Dire Dawa City administration.
The first round of the process is expected to be concluded within two weeks, Chief Commissioner Prof. Mesfin Araya said Friday.
Participants’ selection will also be carried out in other regions as well as Ethiopians living abroad and diaspora, per the commission.
The partucpant identification process, it says, will be conducted in a way that gives equal participation of all segments of the society with the support of various actors.
These actors include national councils of civil societies, political parties, religious groups, and Edirs as well as representatives of teachers’ association, district administratives, district court Judges and local community leaders.
“These actors have a responsibility to observe and ensure that the selection process is inclusive, participatory, fair and trustworthy,” Prof Mesfin said.
