Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Lays Foundation for Nation-Building: Participants

Addis Ababa, August 23, 2026 (ENA) —Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Conference has laid the groundwork for building a resilient nation and nurturing a generation that embraces dialogue, participants told ENA.

The concluding session of the National Dialogue Conference, which had been underway at the Addis International Convention Center since July 15, 2026, was held yesterday, marking the completion of 40 days of deliberations on some of the country’s most consequential national questions.

For 40 days, nearly 4,000 Ethiopians from diverse backgrounds came together to deliberate, exchange views and seek common ground on issues that have long shaped the country’s political, social and economic landscape.

 

Participants told ENA that the dialogue created an important opportunity to bring together diverse ideas and perspectives and lay a foundation for nation-building and future generations.

Among the participants, Aynalem Muna said the conference served as a platform for generating ideas aimed at resolving longstanding problems and disagreements.

Expressing her pleasure at participating in the National Dialogue Conference, she noted that the dialogue has been crucial for building a strong nation-state.

Another participant, Ayu Ketema, said the National Dialogue serves as a key avenue for addressing national challenges by facilitating in-depth discussions and generating ideas that can lay the foundation for future generations.

 

Participant Feysal Jibril, on his part, emphasized the inclusive nature of the National Dialogue, noting that it laid the groundwork for building a resilient nation and nurturing a generation that values dialogue.

Throughout the 40-day process, participants listened to one another, debated difficult and often deeply contested issues, challenged competing views and sought areas of common ground, it was learned.

Their deliberations culminated in approximately 400 recommendations aimed at addressing major national challenges and laying foundations for a more peaceful, inclusive and stable Ethiopia.

 

The conference addressed eight broad thematic agendas: nation-building; state structure, governance, and political and electoral systems; the status of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa; religious affairs, historical grievances and reconciliation; institution-building, the rule of law and human rights; socio-economic issues, including the concerns of farmers and pastoralists; corruption and good governance; and peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Participants said the significance of the National Dialogue extends beyond the recommendations produced during the conference, emphasizing that the process itself created an opportunity for Ethiopians from diverse backgrounds to listen to one another and engage on difficult national questions through dialogue.

They expressed hope that the recommendations and lessons from the process would contribute to resolving longstanding challenges, strengthening national unity and building a resilient Ethiopia for current and future generations.