President Sahile-Work opens joint House session

President Sahile-Work Zewde today opened the joint session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of Federation.

Opening the session, President Sahile-Work said that this year will be a time for the country to lay “a better foundation” for the political reforms, which are being underway.

The president said that the political reforms which are spearheaded by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has three points at the center—sustaining the political and economic gains of the country, correcting mistakes made in the past regimes and attaining the benefit and interest of the upcoming generation.

She said the last year was passed with the government carrying out multiple tasks to help the country’s political reform practiced in inclusive method.

Last year was a time in which the country tried to improve flaws it has in politics, democracy, equal beneficiary, human right handling, in justice and economic movements, the president said adding that yet the country did not reach the point to fully actualize them.

She also added that the government will work towards capacitating the security institutions including the National Defense Forces to improve relative peace to be sustainable peace so that the upcoming national election and other national events will be held peacefully.

Millions of Ethiopians became internally displaced last year in what the President described as “sorrowful chapter” while welcoming people from neighboring countries who sought refuge.

However, she also said that with efforts made by regional and the federal governments, out of  two million internally displaced people, only no more than 100 thousand internally displaced people are yet to be returned.