United States Supports Training for Parliamentarians

December 14, 2005
No. 53/05

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – On Monday, December 12, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, joined Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives Teshome Toga, Ambassador Timothy Clarke, Head of the Delegation of the European Union, and Elizabeth Lwanga, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development Program, at the opening of a U.S.-funded training program for Members of the House of People’s Representatives. The program aims at increasing the effectiveness of both new and returning Members as elected leaders and legislators by improving the knowledge of their roles and responsibilities; improving communications and negotiation skills and fostering a better understanding of the functions of a multi-party parliament.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Huddleston noted that the workshop is “the first activity in a five-year program of support to the House.”  She said that she believes “Democracy is not just Parliament, nor it is just one election, Democracy is a process based on the following:  The rule of the majority, and respect for the minority;  leadership that has vision, flexibility, and is unafraid of compromise; equality of all men and women before the law;  checks and balances among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government; periodic elections that ensure that the voice of minorities as well as majorities are heard; observance and respect for the law, and respect for the will of the people; reconciliation of differing points of view and interests.”  Addressing the assembled, she congratulated the MPs saying that “With your good will and the critical support of your development partners, especially the UNDP, I know that the legislative branch of Ethiopian democracy will grow strong and straight.”

The program was designed and implemented by Women’s Campaign International (WCI) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the umbrella of the Development Assistance Working Group on Governance. It will work with Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum.  The primary areas of focus include the Constitution of Ethiopia, with a specific focus on the roles of the three branches of government as outlined by the Constitution, and more specifically on the role of Parliament as defined by the Constitution, which will also be compared with Parliaments in other countries.  Members of Parliament will learn about their role with regards to passing legislation, participating in committees, and reaching out to constituents as is practiced in Ethiopia and in other countries.  In addition, participants will learn the political skills of negotiation, communication, consensus-building, and gender analysis.

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