HPR Rises for Summer Recess

Addis Ababa ENA July 11/2019 The House of People’s Representatives (HPR) has risen for its annual summer recess and will reconvene on October 10,, 2019.

The House before its summer recess has approved 62 new proclamations, two regulations and two decisions which were made jointly with House of Federation in the concluded 2011 Ethiopian fiscal year, House Speaker Tagesse Chafo said.

In briefing journalists on the annual performance of the Parliament today, House Speaker Tagesse clued in a plan to undertake institutional reform in the next parliamentary sitting.

He stated that unlike the previous trends in the parliament views and comments from opposition and abstentions were entertained during sessions.

This is the beginning of a democratic culture in parliamentary debates, he said, adding that “it needs to be scaled up heading towards changes in the culture of debating.”

Tagesse pointed out that strong control and follow up mechanism on the executive body including field visits and provision of constructive feedbacks were undertaken in a more practical way throughout the sessions of the House.

He stated that the 10 Standing Committees which were down sized and 33 sub-committees of the House have followed up on quarterly the plans and performances of 25 branches of the executive body.

The Speaker added that corrective measures were taken on shortfalls in the executive body and serious monitoring was made on its implementation in accordance to power and responsblties vested on the House.

Speaking of the parliamentary diplomacy, Speaker Tagesse noted that the House attempted to promote the national reform programs to ensure its international acceptance registering remarkable results.

 The reform program of the HPR has already been finalized and will roll out in the next fiscal year, he pointed out.

Standardization of control and follow up mechanisms, introducing swift public service delivery, MPs and Constituencies video conference, organizing special sessions of questioning specific executive institutions and ensuring improved parliamentary diplomacy are among the plans for the next year, it was indicated.