Conference focuses on making democracy work

A two day long high-level dialogue conference on the challenges of transition, the reform process, current dynamics, future opportunities and challenges and risks of change was held at UNECA on August 22nd and 23rd, 2019.
The conference was opened by President Sahle Work Zewde and former South African President Thabo Mbeki who made the keynote address.
“Restoring rule of law is essential in order to maintain peace and sustain the ongoing reform process in the country,” the President underscored. Adding that there was a need for dialogue among stakeholders to have a solid ground for a strong system that could entertain unity in diversity.
The President also called for integrated efforts of all by taking advantage of the current opportunities in order to overcome challenges of transition.
Scholars from Tunisia, Yemen and the USA shared global experience on the challenges and opportunities of peaceful democratic political transition and lessons they have learned.
The theme of papers focused on the integrity and political participation of the elites, how to lead civilized competition among political parties, dealing with mechanisms of creating check and balance systems, and neutrality of security forces presented in a way to structure democratic transitions.
Two other well-known Ethiopian scholars also presented papers on the current dynamics on current Ethiopian political dynamics.
The conference was organized by the Ethiopian Foreign Relations Strategic Studies Institute, Inter African group, Centers for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation, Amani Africa and Berghof Foundation with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
About 200 participants from across the political, ethnic, geographical, and civic spectrum attended the event and discussed the challenges of transition and opportunities of Ethiopia’s reform process and mechanisms for managing a peaceful transition in an open and constructive manner.
“Ethiopia’s peace is important for the stability of region,” the president emphasized.