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, serve as an example for Africa, and bring genuine peace and relief to all Ethiopians.
May Ethiopia forever prosper and be honored through the efforts of her children!
Addis Ababa’s Riverside Development is far more than a riverbank beautification project. From the Entoto to Peacock corridor to the Entoto–Kebena stretch, this is a large-scale urban transformation that extends up to 50 meters beyond the rivers, creating green corridors, public gathering spaces, walkable areas, recreation zones, and commercial spaces that are reshaping the city itself.
What makes the project especially significant is its broader economic and social impact. Beyond improving the appearance and function of the riversides, it has created jobs for many people across construction, engineering, landscaping, logistics, and related sectors, while also generating opportunities for local contractors, suppliers, and businesses. The fact that so much of the work is being designed and delivered locally highlights the growing capacity of Ethiopian expertise in urban development and infrastructure.
The sustainability aspect is equally important. Once dumping grounds for toxic waste and flood hazards affecting communities along the riverbanks, these areas are now being transformed into greener, healthier, and more liveable urban spaces. At the same time, the integration of commercial and public spaces demonstrates how environmental restoration and economic growth can work together rather than compete with one another.
This is a long-term investment in the future of Addis Ababa as a greener, more connected, economically vibrant, and people-centered city.
Ethiopia has finalised its preparations and stands ready to host the distinguished delegations of the 39th African Union Summit and the Second Italy–Africa Summit.
As you gather in the diplomatic capital of Africa, I warmly invite all distinguished delegates to plan ahead and extend your stay beyond the halls of the AU to experience a new era of African-led tourism development.
#VisitEthiopia
ውድ ኢትዮጵያዊያን
በዚህ ሳምንት ውዷ ሀገራችን በአፍሪካ ኅብረት ጉባኤ ለመታደም የሚመጡ እህት ወንድም አፍሪካዊያንን ለማስተናገድ ልቧን ከፍታ-እጆቿን ዘርግታ ትቀበላለች። እነዚህ ወዳጆቻችን የሰንደቃችንን ቀለማት የሚጋሩ፣ ኢትዮጵያን እንደነፃነት ቀንዲል የሚመለከቱ ብሎም ሀገራችን የአኅጉሩ የፖለቲካ ርዕይ የማዕዘን ድንጋይ አድርገው የሚያከብሩ ናቸው።
ኢትዮጵያ ወደር በሌለው እንግዳ ተቀባይነቷ ለምን ልትከበር እንደበቃች በአቀባበላችን እናሳያቸው። እንደቤታቸው እንዲሰማቸው እናድርግ። በክብር እንቀበላቸው። በፍቅር እናቆያቸው። ተደምረን ሰንደቃችን የሚወክለውን የአፍሪካ አንድነትን መንፈስ እና የሚያያይዘንን የወል ህልም እናክብር!
To my fellow Ethiopians,
This week, our beloved homeland opens its arms to fellow Africans attending the AU meetings. These are friends who share the colors of our flag, who see Ethiopia as a beacon of freedom, and who regard our country as a cornerstone of political vision for the continent.
Let’s show them why Ethiopia is known for its unmatched hospitality. Let’s make them feel at home, greet them with respect, and embrace them with love. Together, let’s honor the spirit of African unity that our flag represents and the shared dreams that connect us all.
At the #WorldGovernmentSummit in the #UAE,I am honoured to higlight on #Ethiopia’s 3 strategic pillars for industrial growth. Central to this is Energy as a Regional Catalyst. With the GERD now up and running,built solely by our own resource,our vision remains purely Pan-African.