The FDRE House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) on its second regular meeting passed the National Dialogue Commission Establishment Proclamation on Dec 29, 2021, with a majority vote based on the explanation and recommendation presented to it by the permanent committee on law, justice, and democracy.
The draft proclamation for the establishment of the National Dialogue Commission was approved by the Council of Ministers on its second regular meeting on Dec 10, 2021. According to the statement of the council, the commission aims at conducting an “all-inclusive” national dialogue and consultation in order to reach a national consensus and have a common ground on national issues.
Improvements were made to the draft proclamation based on the comments given by various stakeholders. The HPR held an open discussion on the draft proclamation on Dec 25, 2021, where issues on the independence and neutrality of the commission were raised. Among the amendments made on the draft, proclamation is the transferring of the right to receive recommendations on the assignments of commissioners from the Office of the Prime Minister to the Office of the Speaker of HPR, along with other rights transferred to the Speaker’s office.
Besides, other significant amendments include transferring the responsibility to enact rules for the execution of the proclamation from the Council of Ministers to the House of Peoples’ Representatives. The agendas for discussion, the process, and recommendation reports are also going to be handled by the HPR and the executive body. Two more provisions were added to the proclamation which imposes commissioners who have left or were removed from their position shall not be nominated for another governmental position.
