Weekly Message

Elections and dialogue are twin pathways through which we realize our vision of sustainable peace, national unity, and comprehensive prosperity.

Ethiopia, our country, which once stood at the forefront of global civilization, should no longer be associated with poverty and backwardness. With this determination, the reformist government has carried out numerous reforms and has registered broad results that have brought progress and stability.
Among these reforms is the effort to meaningfully repair our long standing democratic culture deficit, which has persisted for generations and cost us greatly. 

In this regard, many activities requiring maturity, commitment, and inclusiveness are underway, from ensuring that general elections are conducted regularly every five years in accordance with the Constitution, to building democratic culture and conducting a national dialogue. To address the shortcomings in our democratic culture, deliberative democracy is being implemented as a viable solution, with the national dialogue process serving as its central pillar. Established six years ago as an independent commission, the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission has now advanced its agenda collection process, gathering inputs from stakeholders across all regions and city administrations, into its final stage.

Efforts to collect agendas from stakeholders in the Tigray region had previously faced challenges due to obstructive forces in the area. As a result, a three day agenda collection forum was successfully held in Addis Ababa, the shared home of all Ethiopians and a city where many people from Tigray reside. The forum brought together more than 600 participants, including those who came specifically from the Tigray region. It was conducted in a highly constructive atmosphere, marked by strong consensus, a desire for change, disciplined participation, and a free and democratic spirit. It also produced agendas that genuinely reflect the aspirations of the people of Tigray.

During the forum, representatives from 12 regional and national political parties, including the Prosperity Party, as well as participants from diverse segments of society engaged in extensive and in depth discussions. They submitted 11 major agendas and 51 detailed agenda items to the Commission for further deliberation and resolution.
This effort plays a crucial role in achieving our national goals of consensus, reconciliation, and lasting peace. Moreover, it has revealed that the agendas of Ethiopia’s peoples are largely similar and closely aligned. The holding of the forum in Addis Ababa has also been seen as a hopeful sign of moving beyond outdated and divisive thinking. Participants demonstrated strong commitment and cooperation, expressing a clear desire to begin a new chapter of transformation.

Overall, this week’s agenda collection forum for stakeholders from the Tigray region marks a historic milestone, bringing years of effort by the Dialogue Commission to a critical stage. It ensured that all agendas were gathered in a participatory, equitable, and fair manner, and it has strengthened our hope for a future defined by positive peace, national consensus, and inclusive development.
When viewed together with the ongoing general election process, this progress clearly demonstrates the great hope we have as a nation.

Ethiopia votes; Ethiopia dialogues.

Through elections and dialogue, it will elevate its state building to a higher level.

Prosperity Party
April 6, 2026