AMN PLUS-July 15, 2026
It is with great pride that I join you today at the opening ceremony of this historic National Dialogue. This grand conference, which will bring together four thousand participants under one roof in the coming weeks, marks a historic opportunity for Ethiopia to obtain the “pen and parchment” with which to write a new chapter of its history by its own hand.
We are at a moment when we can break the cycle in Ethiopia’s political journey. A cycle that begins with inflammatory rhetoric and ends in violent action, and replace it with dialogue and discussion. I extend my sincere gratitude to the commissioners of the National Dialogue Commission for their invaluable contributions toward making this important undertaking possible.
This conference, which is founded on a bottom-up agenda-setting process involving hundreds of thousands of citizens, is a rare and remarkable event with immense significance in Ethiopia’s modern history. Through it, we have the opportunity to transform our challenges into opportunities and establish a lasting culture of peaceful transfers of power.
Today, we are planting good seeds that will benefit future generations, and we are ensuring that our children will enjoy the fruits they bear. As we participate in this dialogue, if we set aside our local interests and deliberate for the sake of Ethiopia, keeping our children and their future in mind, the outcome will be truly fruitful.
Together, let us cultivate hope, forgiveness, and peaceful coexistence. By resolving our differences through dialogue and reconciliation within our own country, let us safeguard Ethiopia from external interference. I call upon all participants to achieve a historic outcome; one that will benefit Ethiopia, serves as an example for Africa, and brings genuine peace and relief to all Ethiopians.
May Ethiopia forever prosper and be honored through the efforts of her children!
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD)
