Working groups at the Ethiopian National Dialogue Conference have entered their second week of discussions at the Addis International Convention Center, moving into detailed deliberations on transitional justice, governance, and national identity.
Following last week’s opening ceremony led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Chief Commissioner Professor Mesfin Araya, over 4 000 delegates from across the country have split into roughly 80 specialised working groups to tackle the eight major agenda pillars identified by the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC).
The current phase marks a turn from ceremonial addresses to the core work of the three-week conference, as representatives debate how to handle historic grievances, state structure, and accountability mechanisms.
The process continues to face intense scrutiny outside the hall. Major opposition parties in regions like Amhara and Oromia have maintained their boycott, arguing that a dialogue held amid ongoing regional conflict and without key armed groups cannot deliver a durable peace.
Supporters and commission officials maintain, however, that bringing sensitive topics like transitional justice to a structured national platform remains a crucial step toward breaking decades of political division. Discussions are expected to continue through the end of July.
–ChannelAfrica/ENDC —
