Ethiopia’s national dialogue process is being viewed increasingly as a potential African model for resolving deep-rooted political and identity-based conflicts, as the country pursues a nationally owned path to sustainable peace without external mediation or state collapse.

Ethiopia officially established its National Dialogue Commission in December 2021, with commissioners sworn in on February 23, 2022, following approval by the House of Peoples' Representatives.

The dialogue was launched to foster national consensus, address deep-seated political disagreements, and resolve conflicts through inclusive, peaceful dialogue rather than division.

In an exclusive interview with Pulse of Africa (POA), Ethiopian National Dialogue Commissioner Yonas Adaye (Ph.D.) said the dialogue is designed to address the fundamental causes of conflict in Ethiopia, including constitutional disputes, governance failures, marginalization, and the politicization of ethnic identity—issues that have repeatedly fueled instability across the continent.

Yonas described the dialogue as a nationwide, citizen-centered process aimed at rebuilding Ethiopia’s social fabric through open discussion, mutual respect, and collective truth-seeking.

Unlike elections or peace agreements that focus on immediate crises, he said, the dialogue targets long-standing structural problems that continue to generate conflict.

The commissioner emphasized that Ethiopia’s process is nationally and locally owned, distinguishing it from past national dialogues in Africa and the Middle East that failed due to foreign control or elite-driven agendas.

While supported by state institutions, the National Dialogue Commission operates through consultations with communities, political actors, civil society, religious institutions, media, and the Ethiopian diaspora.

Consultations with Ethiopians abroad revealed strong consensus around the need for constitutional reform, particularly concerns that ethnic-based federalism has entrenched divisions and undermined coexistence. Governance deficits, corruption, identity politics, and dual citizenship were also cited as recurring issues raised during diaspora engagements.

He said the dialogue is expected to produce three core outcomes: national consensus, renewed trust between the state and society, and the establishment of dialogue as a political culture, replacing zero-sum politics and armed confrontation.

Yonas equated Ethiopia’s internal dialogue to broader regional stability, arguing that domestic unity strengthens foreign policy credibility and supports peaceful management of shared resources, trade routes, and integration efforts.

He stressed that African disputes should be resolved through African-led mechanisms, guided by shared values such as the fabled Ubuntu (African philosophy of symbiotic togetherness) and cooperation.

Addressing concerns that the dialogue’s recommendations could be ignored, Yonas said political legitimacy in Ethiopia is increasingly tied to performance and responsiveness to public demands, making implementation essential for state credibility.

As Ethiopia advances its national dialogue, observers across Africa and beyond are closely watching the process leading towards replicable framework for conflict prevention and state renewal across the continent.

The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission's work has entered its final phase, with the main national dialogue conference scheduled to begin in early February 2026.