Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission

Under Article 9 (5) of its founding proclamation, the Commission is authorized to organize dialogue forums at both federal and regional levels, with the objective of achieving national consensus. To ensure broad representation, the Commission selected participants from various constituencies, institutions, unions, government bodies, political parties, and prominent individuals.

The agenda collection process, though initially conducted in regional cities, involved representatives selected at the woreda level. Besides, agenda items have been and will be collected from stakeholders at the regional, federal, and diaspora levels. For the success of this process, the Commission implemented directives stemming from its proclamation, ensuring wide representation from diverse sectors at woreda level, including:

  • Livelihood groups
  • Merchants
  • Women
  • Youth
  • Idir (local social associations)
  • Local elders
  • Public and private sector employees
  • Teachers
  • Historically and culturally marginalized groups
  • Internally displaced persons (IDPs)

Before initiating the process, the Commission provided training to 8,515 collaborators from 11 regional states and 2 city administrations.

These collaborators included woreda level representatives from the Ethiopian Civil Society Council, the Ethiopian Political Parties Council, the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association, and the Ethiopian Idir Association Coalition, among others. In addition, local and regional authorities—such as court judges, administrators, and religious elders from woreda-level administrations—also took part.

The goal of these partnerships is to ensure transparency, participation, and credibility in the dialogue process. As a result, these collaborators helped the Commission with the selecting participants from a local woreda level.

As the Commission conducts regional agenda collection sessions, it has identified the following key stakeholders:

  • Representatives of local woreda constituencies
  • Teachers’ unions
  • Civil society organizations
  • Political parties
  • Employers’ associations
  • Labor union federations
  • Religious institutions
  • Associations for people with disabilities
  • Eminent community figures
  • Professional associations
  • Regional councils
  • Veterans’ associations
  • Regional media personnel unions
  • Regional civil servants
  • University faculty
  • Trade union councils
  • Women’s and youth associations

On the other hand, the Commission has identified the following federal-level (nation-wide) stakeholders:

As the Commission conducts regional agenda collection sessions, it has identified the following key stakeholders:

  • Representatives of local woreda constituencies
  • Teachers’ unions
  • Civil society organizations
  • Political parties
  • Employers’ associations
  • Labor union federations
  • Religious institutions
  • Associations for people with disabilities
  • Eminent community figures
  • Professional associations
  • Regional councils
  • Veterans’ associations
  • Regional media personnel unions
  • Regional civil servants
  • University faculty
  • Trade union councils
  • Women’s and youth associations

On the other hand, the Commission has identified the following federal-level (nation-wide) stakeholders:

1. Government Institutions

  • Executive Organ of the Federal Government
  • House of Peoples’ Representatives
  • House of Federation
  • Heads of Regional States and Mayors of City Administrations
  • Federal Supreme Court
  • Federal Higher Court
  • Federal First Instance Court
  • National Electoral Board of Ethiopia
  • Ethiopian Office of the Ombudsman
  • Ethiopian Human Rights Commission

2. Security and Defense

  • FDRE Defense Force
  • Federal Police Commission
  • FDRE Prison Commission
  • Former Veterans (Police and Army)

3. Political and Civic Entities

  • National Political Parties
  • Federal Civil Servants
  • Federal Civic Organizations’ Association
  • Commissioners (from Various Institutions)
  • Eminent Personalities

4. Labor and Professional Associations

  • Ethiopian Employers’ Association
  • Ethiopian Workers’ Union Confederation
  • Ethiopian Teachers’ Association
  • Federal Professional Associations
  • Ethiopian Media Professionals Association

5. Educational and Research Institutions

  • Consortium for Ethiopian Higher Educational Institutes
  • Private Higher Educational Institutes

6. Social and Community Groups

  • Federation for Physically Disabled People
  • Union for National Elders and Pensioners
  • Ethiopian Idir Association
  • Social Activists and Influencers

7. Gender and Youth Organizations

  • Women’s Coalition for Dialogue
  • Ethiopian Women Federation
  • Ethiopian Youth Federation

8. Religious and Interfaith Bodies

  • Ethiopian Religious Institutions
  • Ethiopian Interreligious Council

9. Media Entities

  • Ethiopian Media Council
  • Media Houses