Ethiopia Sets July Start for Three-Week National Dialogue Conference

June 13, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Commission has announced that its long-anticipated national dialogue conference will begin on July 15, 2026 in Addis Ababa, where it will run for three consecutive weeks, bringing together thousands of representatives from across the country and the diaspora.

Chief Commissioner Professor Mesfin Araya said during a press briefing that Ethiopia has made significant progress in advancing an inclusive dialogue framework designed to move national debates from fragmented consultations into a structured national platform.

He said the country has spent nearly four years implementing the process, which has included broad public engagement across regions, city administrations and federal institutions.

According to the Commission, 1,234 woredas have been included in the consultation process, representing about 93 percent coverage nationwide. Agenda-setting exercises have also been completed across 12 regional states as well as in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa city administrations, involving a wide range of stakeholders.

The Commission said the process was designed to ensure participation from political actors, civil society, professional associations, religious institutions and community representatives, alongside efforts to include the Ethiopian diaspora.

The national dialogue initiative was formally established in 2021 under federal proclamation to address longstanding political disagreements and foster reconciliation through structured national consultations. The Commission has since been tasked with identifying core national issues and facilitating discussions that could inform future policy and institutional reforms.

Officials said preparatory work for the national conference is now largely complete, including the selection of participants. More than 4,000 representatives are expected to attend the three-week conference from all regional states and the two city administrations.

The Commission said the upcoming gathering will consolidate the agenda-setting and consultation work conducted over the past four years into structured deliberations, marking a key transition in the process from nationwide consultations to national-level dialogue.