A project status update and consultative meeting was held at the CDG office on July 12, 2025. The session, organized by the CDG, aimed to brief representatives of funding organization and government partners agencies. Mrs. Natalie Cooke-African program officer of the National Endowment for Democracy(NED) – along with representatives from relevant government sectors and CDG staff reviewed the project’s current progress.
At the start of the meeting, Mr. Amanuel Adnew, Executive Director of CDG, provided an overview of the ongoing implementation of the project.
During his presentation, Mr. Amanuel highlighted key accomplishments, including the compilation of documentary materials featuring testimonies from victims of violent conflicts, insights from senior academics, and reflections from cultural custodians. These resources are now prepared for public dissemination. He emphasized that these efforts aim to raise awareness on critical challenges posed on the rule of law, human rights, and governance—due to violent conflict.
Mrs. Natalie commended the progress made, noting that these outputs can serve as valuable inputs for government strategies aimed at sustaining peace. She also addressed the current challenges in funding, which have been impacted by the US government decisions. Nonetheless, she affirmed that NED remains committed to advancing democratic values as a foundation for long-term peace.
Participants from four key government sectors—namely, the Supreme Court of Oromia, the Attorney General’s Office, Youth Affairs, Peace and Security Bureau, and Communication Bureau—along with a lecturer from Addis Ababa University and CDG’s Technical Advisor, contributed their perspectives during the discussion.