Dialogue with Political Parties to Begin Coming Week: EPRDF

 The Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) announced that it is ready for dialogue and consultation with political parties operating legally in the country.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Shiferaw Shigute, Head of the Office of the EPRDF, said the dialogue and consultation is expected to begin in the coming week.

 

EPRDF has been expressing willingness to work closely with political parties on national issues, acknowledging its weakness in the past in this regard.

The Party has been working with political parties that are willing to cooperate under the umbrella of the joint political parties’ council.

Shiferaw said the party is ready to work with other parties that are peacefully operating in the country.

Working with political parties includes dialogue, consultation and debate, he added.

“We work together with peaceful political parties and other concerned bodies. When we say we work together, we enter into dialogue on issues that can enable us go along with and we debate on our differences. Since the public is the judge we want that to happen,” he said.

This will enable the public to know the agendas of the political parties and make its own decisions, he added.

This is not the first time for EPRDF to invite political parties to work together, Shiferaw said, noting the invitation that the party has issued to all political parties during the transition period.

This times all legal political parties operating peacefully, whether they sign the electoral code of conduct or not.

According to Shiferaw, EPRDF and other parties are expected to present their thoughts on ways of conducting the dialogue.

Noting there are other entities in addition to political parties willing to work together with EPRDF, Shiferaw said the Party is keen to cooperate with different sections of the society, academicians and civic societies.

In addition to political dialogue and debate, the activity includes putting forward recommendations and consulting, as well as research, he added.

“We can work together with anyone who wishes to work in collaboration. It is possible to contribute to the country whether agreed or not with the line of the Front. EPRDF is ready in this regard. It means that we have made our readiness official,” he said.

It was recalled that Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn at the beginning of the week has disclosed that the dialogue with political parties will began soon.

The Premier said that in the activity aimed at deepening democratization in the country, will include the media, civic societies and representatives of the public.

Some 23 political parties are expected to take part in the dialogue and debate program

source ena