Ethiopian National Dialogue Moves to Final Phase, Conference Set for July

The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) announced on Friday that the upcoming National Dialogue Conference will officially begin on July 15, 2026, in Addis Ababa.

The announcement, delivered by Commissioner Mesfin Araya (Prof.) during a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel, marks the transition of the four-year peace initiative into its final phase.

According to the Commissioner, the assembly is expected to run for three consecutive weeks, bringing together selected representatives from across the country to resolve deep-seated political and societal divisions.

To ensure proper coordination, Mesfin said that the Commission has directed all selected delegates to arrive in the capital one week prior to the launch to complete vital pre-dialogue activities. 

Mesfin noted that an independent body will release the official invitations and detailed logistics due time. 

According to the Commission, the conference follows a rigorous preparatory process that gathered public agendas from 1,234 woredas spanning 12 regions and the Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa city administrations.

The consultations also targeted the participation of Ethiopian diaspora.

Reflecting on the milestone, Mesfin emphasized that “the ultimate goal of the convention is to foster civilized debate on foundational issues and achieve a lasting consensus”.

Parliament originally established the ENDC in February 2022 to pave the way for national consensus and heal historical fractures following protracted ethnic polarization and internal conflicts. 

Acknowledging past operational hurdles, Mesfin extended an open invitation to political and civil factions that have previously boycotted or remained outside the process.

“We extend our call to our compatriots who, for various reasons, have not participated in the national dialogue process to come to the dialogue,” he said, emphasizing that the Commission’s door is always open to receive and accommodate others who were not part of the process for the past four years.