Ethiopia Champions Medemer-Led Leadership for Inclusive National Development

Addis Ababa, November 6, 2026 (ENA)— Ethiopia's Prosperity Party Vice President Adem Farah has underscored the importance of Medemer as a guiding philosophy for overcoming political fragmentation, mobilizing diverse national capabilities and advancing inclusive prosperity.

Adem, who also serves as Coordinator for Democratic System Building with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, made the remarks while addressing the opening of the Second African Political Parties Summit at the Adwa Victory Memorial in Addis Ababa.

He emphasized that political parties must move beyond electoral competition to become drivers of national transformation by generating ideas, nurturing leadership, reconciling competing interests and sustaining development efforts beyond electoral cycles.

Adem explained that Medemer, an indigenous philosophy developed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, promotes the pooling of people's potential, institutional capabilities and accumulated achievements around shared national objectives.

He said the philosophy provides a framework for overcoming historical divisions and political fragmentation.

Moreover, Medemer is fostering collective responsibility and holistic prosperity across generations, he underscored.

Highlighting the Prosperity Party's experience, Adem said its formation brought previously separate political organizations together under a common national institution, seeking to broaden political participation and unite diverse communities.

He stressed that the party's priority is to translate its broad membership base into institutional strength through continuous capacity building, leadership development and disciplined internal governance.

He further highlighted the party's performance evaluation system, which seeks to reward competence and integrity, identify institutional weaknesses and strengthen accountability among leaders and members.

On political inclusiveness, Adem underscored the importance of sustained engagement with other political organizations through platforms such as the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council and broader dialogue initiatives on peace and democracy.

He also noted that leaders from competing political parties have been entrusted with public responsibilities at different levels, describing the approach as an effort to harness diverse talents, broaden participation and strengthen shared national stewardship.

Such cooperation, he stressed, should respect institutional mandates and the distinct identities of political parties while safeguarding meaningful political competition.

Turning to Africa's broader development challenges, Adem said the continent's economic transformation depends on political parties' ability to mobilize investment, develop human capital, promote innovation, strengthen institutions and convert national potential into productive capabilities.

He called for a political culture that balances competition with cooperation, and ambition with accountability, emphasizing that political parties must ultimately be judged by their contribution to improving citizens' lives.

Drawing lessons from Ethiopia's historic victory at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, Adem said the country's ability to overcome colonial aggression through unity and collective purpose offers an enduring lesson for Africa.

He urged African political leaders to draw inspiration from that legacy by strengthening continental solidarity, building institutions that uphold human dignity and expanding opportunities for citizens.

The Second African Political Parties Summit is being held in Addis Ababa under the theme “Governing for Growth: Political Parties as Architects of Africa's Economic Future,” bringing together political leaders and stakeholders to explore the role of political parties in advancing economic transformation and inclusive development across the continent.