Prof. Alemayehu G. Mariam (widely known as Al Mariam) is a prominent Ethiopian-American political scientist, constitutional scholar, attorney, and civic commentator. He is recognized as a leading voice among the Ethiopian intellectual diaspora, particularly on issues concerning human rights, governance, and the rule of law.ย
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author and do not represent the editorial stance of Amhara Media Corporation.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ
๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ – ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐
Much like a classic marathon, the Ethiopian National Dialogue has been a grueling test of courage, endurance, patience, perseverance, fortitude, tenacity, and grit. It has called for quiet restraint, open minds, open hearts, goodwill, and good faith from four thousand Ethiopians drawn from every corner of the country.
๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐โ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐. ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ง๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ-๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ.
For more than a month, we have been in a marathon race to MAKE ETHIOPIA GREAT AGAIN!
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ -๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ : ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ-๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐. ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ, ๐ ๐๐๐งโ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐.
Those are the very qualities this Dialogue Conference has demanded of all of us delegates. We have passed through intense and fierce and high-stakes debatesโin groups of ten, fifty, two hundred and fifty, and five hundred. We have stood at the edge of seemingly intractable impasses. We have listened to one anotherโs wordsโat times generous and conciliatory, at other times painful, provocative, and inflammatory. We have gained momentum and lost it. We have taken two steps forward and one step back; at times, one step forward and two steps back. At other times, we were stuck on matters great and small and could not move.
We have gone through moments of anger and disappointment, but also moments of tenderness. There have been sharp disagreements followed by unexpected hugs and kisses. Together, we have climbed steep hills on the most difficult national questions and leaped over issues where common ground was easier to find. We have seen moments when progress seemed to be slipping through our fingers, and other moments filled with euphoria, relief, and renewed hope.
Yet, above all, we, as a strong throng of four thousand delegates have shown to our people and the world that no mountain is too high to climb and no valley too deep to cross when our task is to create a fission of our collective energies and propose solutions to our longstanding problems and MAKE ETHIOPIA GREAT AGAIN.
๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐โ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง: ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐โ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ -๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ, ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง! ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ง ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ก. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒโ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ, ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌโ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ก.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐: ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ, ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ, ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐กโ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ.
๐๐๐ฑ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซโ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌโ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ.
๐๐จ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐๐), ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.โAs the National Dialogue Commission has planned, the dialogue conference is proceeding smoothly. Right now most in the group of 500 delegates [in the eight agenda areas] having deliberated and reached concurrence are signing their respective consensus documents.
โIn this dialogue process, it cannot be said there were no disagreements or conflicts. The fact that they occurred has strongly confirmed the necessity for this dialogue. Contentious issued were discussed; delegates listened to each other and have managed to come to a collective agreement on many issues. All eight groups have come to an agreement and are concluding their work.
โThe next step is to harmonize and validate the consensus recommendation documents of all eight groups. A strategic team selected from the eight groups will start work this afternoon. Their task will be to review the documents and remove redundancies, harmonize conflicting and contradictory language in the recommendations. The work of this group will help us in integrating the agenda recommendations in a single [inclusive] comprehensive document.
โBeyond this, we will review and rule on any complaints on the dialogue process presented by individuals, groups or political parties following our established procedures.
โIn the final chapter of the dialogue process, we will present the collective work of the conference delegates to the Ethiopian people. Thank you.โ
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ
The National Dialogue Conference has considered and adopted recommendations under eight major agenda pillars: State Building, Government Structure, Federal Cities, Religious Affairs, Rule of Law and Human Rights, Socio-Economic Issues, Anti-Corruption, and Peacebuilding.
Each pillar is important on its own. But the recommendations cannot remain as eight separate reports. They must be brought together into one clear, consistent, and practical national document. The recommendations must be harmonized.๐๐ง ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฌ, ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ซ: ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐. ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐-๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Because the working groups operated at the same time, some overlap is expected. One group may recommend a change that affects the work of another group. For example, a proposal on federal cities may also affect government structure, human rights, service delivery, or peacebuilding. Likewise, recommendations on the rule of law, anti-corruption, and state-building may address similar institutions from different angles with different words and phrases.
If these overlaps and differences are not carefully addressed, the final document may contain duplication, unclear language, or recommendations that pull in different directions. That could make implementation difficult and weaken public confidence in the dialogueโs outcome.
There are various ways to harmonize the recommendations from different groups. An approach commonly used requires the strategic harmonizing group to first review all eight reports and agree on common definitions, terms, and language. Legal, political, and technical concepts must be used consistently throughout the document. Also, where recommendations are translated into different official working languages, the meaning must remain accurate and clear in every language.
Next, the group looks for recommendations that address the same issue. Where two or more groups have made similar proposals, those recommendations can be combined into one stronger and clearer proposal. Repeated recommendations are removed, but the ideas behind them are preserved.
In some cases, there may be contradictions and disagreements. One agenda group may propose a recommendation that another group sees differently. In such cases, the strategic harmonizing group will facilitate focused discussion to find common ground wherever possible. The aim is not to force agreement, but to develop clear and inclusive language that respects the concerns of all sides.
Where agreement cannot be reached without compromising important principles, the final document should honestly present the different options. These options may then be referred to another body as prescribed by the Commissionโs rules and procedures.
Finally, the eight separate reports are brought together in one clear voice, one structure, and one national narrative. Each recommendation is then linked to a realistic path for implementation. Some may require constitutional amendment; others may need legislation, executive action, institutional reform, policy changes, or administrative directives.
Harmonization does not mean changing or weakening what delegates agreed upon. Its purpose is to make their recommendations clearer, more consistent, and easier to implement.
Before the final document is sent to the plenary group of 4,000 delegates, it is expected that the consolidated draft will be sent back to delegates from each agenda pillar for review. They should confirm that their main recommendations have been accurately reflected and that no important idea has been lost or distorted during the process. Once this review is completed, the Conference can endorse a final national document that is coherent, credible, and supported across the eight agenda pillars. The result will not merely be a collection of recommendations. It will be a shared road map for turning dialogue into action.
๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐!
๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐.
๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐!
