Ethiopian Prime Minister opens conference with opposition parties

November 27, 2018 (Ezega.com) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today opened a conference with opposition parties in the capital Addis Ababa.

In addition to representatives of the ruling EPRDF (Revolutionary Democratic Front of the Ethiopian Peoples), the leaders of some 81 opposition parties are present, according to the Ethiopian news agency. Among them were leaders of opposition parties registered in Ethiopia as well as parties recently returned from exile.

The conference is held at the Prime Minister's office in Arat Kilo, Addis Ababa.

The conference is expected to focus on ongoing reforms and ways to make the next elections free and fair for all.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister today declared the beginning of discussions with political parties. He called on all political parties to work together, regardless of their differences, according to the Ethiopian newspaper.

He also said that the National Electoral Council of Ethiopia (NEBE), chaired by former leader of the newly-appointed opposition party, Birtukan Mideksa, will use ideas that, at the conference, will serve benchmark to design their own programs.

Under previous EPRDF governments, Ethiopian opposition parties had little chance of competing with the powerful ERDF in a quarter century. Controlling the media, security and economic institutions, the EPRDF did not have any significant opposition to its regime. For much of his rule, the EPRDF had managed to occupy the Ethiopian parliament alone – a feat that only the totalitarian regimes of the world do.

Opposition figures and media outlets who dared to challenge the status quo were thrown into jail or were subjected to political dismissals and lawsuits that cost them financial ruin.

The new Ethiopian prime minister wants to change all that. He seems to realize that the old mode of governance was not only bad for the country, but also for the EPRDF itself.