Providing pathways to a more democratic and stable Ethiopia and supporting peaceful and inclusive national consensus processes.
WHY USAID/OTI IS IN ETHIOPIA
Ethiopia stands at a critical moment in its political trajectory following the historic transition that began in 2018 and brought substantial and long-awaited political, economic, and security reforms, and the November 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, which brought an end to almost two years of violent conflict in northern Ethiopia. However, the country still grapples with expanding conflict in other regions that pose a significant challenge to its stability. In this evolving context, the U.S. Government seeks to support pathways to a more democratic and stable Ethiopia.
USAID/OTI’S ROLE IN ETHIOPIA
In 2019, USAID/OTI launched its program in Ethiopia to support a peaceful and inclusive political transition. The current geographic focus is on the capital, Addis Ababa, as well as the regional states of Oromia and Amhara. The USAID/OTI program contributes to building an enabling environment for inclusive and peaceful consensus processes in Ethiopia by:
Strengthening intra- and inter-group relationships and actions;
Advancing inclusive and constructive public discourse; and
Mitigating mis/disinformation and hate speech.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- USAID/OTI supports peace and reconciliation processes that rebuild social cohesion through bolstering public and elite support for peace at the national level; build momentum for peaceful solutions to address escalating conflict in Oromia; and support people-to-people relationship building initiatives with diverse communities affected by conflict in Amhara.
- USAID/OTI engages university students to monitor and identify mis/disinformation and hate speech circulating on social media, and partners with media outlets to produce new content that creates space for constructive political deliberation.
USAID/OTI strengthens inter-communal, religious, and customary conflict-mitigation efforts; supports youth as peace actors; works with the private sector, universities, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) to advance local peace initiatives and dialogue; and identifies opportunities for inter-regional engagement.