Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

In May 1991, the military Derg regime was overthrown. After seventeen years of civil war, the people of Ethiopia saw the dawn of a new era; Ethiopians for the first time in history were members of one community with the same destiny.

The democratic groups of Ethiopia convened a conference in Addis Ababa between 1st-5th July 1991. The participants discussed and approved a Transitional Charter which laid down the principals for the transition period.

The process of democratisation was not an easy one as there was no culture or tradition of democracy in the country. During the transition period two interlinked and fundamental steps were taken to guarantee the rights of nations and nationalities to determine their own affairs:

• A Constitution was drafted and ratified.
• Power was devolved to the regional states.

Under the Constitution, the federal arrangement guaranteed the rights of the federal states to determine their own affairs.

Here you can read the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.