Ethiopia’s ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) council, on Thursday approved the merger of three out of four ethnic-based parties to form a single national one ahead of the 2020 elections, reported Reuters. The development is in line with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s promise to unite the country.
Prime Minister Ahmed said the party members unanimously took the merger decision, as the dissenting members of the coalition didn’t attend the vote. He announced that the newly formed party would be called Prosperity Party.
“The unanimous decision passed today to merge the Party is a crucial step in harnessing our energy to work toward a shared vision. Prosperity Party is committed to strengthening & applying a true Federal system that recognizes the diversity and contributions of all Ethiopians,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
Earlier this week, Ahmed said the Prosperity Party will ensure not only the material prosperity for Ethiopia but also bring dignity, freedom and multi-faceted prosperity to Ethiopia.
After the meeting was over, the coalition spokesman Fekadu Tessema said the coalition’s leaders have approved the new party’s political program which outlines political, economic, and social and foreign policy issues. The Council is expected to discuss and approve the code of conduct and bylaws of the party on Friday.
Notably, Ethiopia’s 105 million citizens come from more than 80 ethnic groups. The EPRDF Council is composed of 180 members including 45 members from four organizations, namely the Tigriyan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), and Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM).
The TPLF boycotted Thursday’s coalition meeting and abstained from voting as it condemned the move to form a single party as rushed and undemocratic.
The Sidama ethnic group people voted in a referendum on Wednesday to decide whether to create Ethiopia’s 10th region. Results have not yet been released.
