Addis Abeba — The Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM) has rejected Ethiopia's ongoing National Dialogue conference, describing it as a political exercise designed to restore the ruling Prosperity Party's legitimacy rather than address the country's deepening conflicts, and called on Amhara communities to intensify their armed struggle against the federal government.
NewsDiscover moreMagazinesGovernment policy updatesHistory AFNM said that while Ethiopia has long required an inclusive national dialogue to address the root causes of political conflict, the current process lacks the conditions necessary to produce a credible outcome.
The group argued that the dialogue is neither inclusive nor neutral and is being conducted under the authority of a government it accused of overseeing years of conflict, displacement, and human rights abuses.
"A dialogue staged by a genocidal regime... serves no purpose other than acting as a PR exercise and budget drain for the regime," the statement said.
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AFNM further argued that the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission lacks the neutrality and broad political acceptance required to lead a genuine reconciliation process, claiming it was established without the consent of major political actors and civil society groups.
According to the movement, participants presented as representatives of the Amhara people at the conference do not have a legitimate mandate and instead represent the interests of the ruling Prosperity Party.
The statement also questioned the legitimacy of Ethiopia's 2018 Ethiopian calendar general election, arguing that the country lacked the conditions for a credible vote because of ongoing armed conflicts and the continued state of emergency in parts of the country.
Calling on its supporters, AFNM urged the Amhara public to "intensify the struggle" against the federal government while encouraging cooperation with other political forces to establish what it described as a genuine transitional arrangement capable of leading an inclusive national dialogue.
The movement also appealed to the broader Ethiopian public to reject the current dialogue process, arguing that it excludes major political and armed actors and therefore cannot resolve the country's political crisis.
Addressing the international community, AFNM called for support for what it described as a genuine political transition, saying the current dialogue risks deepening rather than resolving Ethiopia's conflicts.
The statement further warned individuals participating in the conference as representatives of the Amhara people that they would be held "accountable before the people and history" for what it described as assisting the government's political agenda.
The Amhara Fano National Movement's statement comes as Ethiopia's month-long National Dialogue Forum, organized by the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC), is underway in Addis Abeba. The forum has brought together more than 4,000 delegates from across the country to deliberate on eight agenda items identified through nationwide consultations. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the forum as a historic opportunity to resolve Ethiopia's longstanding political differences through dialogue, while Commission Chairperson Mesfin Araya called on participants to engage in inclusive and constructive deliberations. At the same time, the forum has been overshadowed by criticism from several opposition parties and armed groups that question its inclusiveness and legitimacy.
Earlier this week, the Ethiopian Cooperate for Victory and Transition (ECVT), an opposition coalition, described the dialogue as a "mock dialogue" that fails to meet international standards because it excludes key armed actors, lacks broad public legitimacy, and rules out discussions on political transition. The coalition called on opposition political parties and armed groups to strengthen cooperation and prepare a joint roadmap for a transitional government.
Geographic Reference The statement followed a similar position by the Oromo Liberation Front-Oromo Liberation Army (OLF-OLA), which dismissed the process as a "national monologue," arguing that it serves only the interests of the ruling Prosperity Party and cannot produce meaningful national reconciliation while armed conflicts continue and major political actors remain excluded. Both groups urged a comprehensive political transition and inclusive negotiations involving all stakeholders.
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The criticism comes as Ethiopia's month-long National Dialogue Forum continues in Addis Abeba, where more than 1,300 delegates are deliberating on agenda items identified through the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission's nationwide consultations. While the federal government and the Commission have defended the forum as the country's primary platform for resolving longstanding political disputes peacefully, several opposition parties, armed groups, and the TPLF-reinstated Tigray Regional State have rejected the process, arguing that it lacks the conditions necessary for a credible and inclusive national dialogue. AS
