5th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FEDERALISM TO TAKE PLACE IN ADDIS ABEBA ETHIOPIA FROM 14 to 16 December 2010

Nov 19, 2010

5th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FEDERALISM TO TAKE PLACE IN ADDIS ABEBA ETHIOPIAFROM 14 to 16 December 2010
Conference Theme: ‘EQUALITY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT’ INTRODUCTION

Ethiopia will host the 5th International Conference on Federalism from December 14 to 16 in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. This will be the latest in a series of unique, practitioner-oriented conferences designed as a forum for experience sharing on issues related to federalism. The International Conferences on federalism were initiated in 1999 by the Forum of Federations with the first conference in Mt. Tremblant, Canada. This was followed by a second conference in 2002 in St. Gallen, Switzerland, a third in Brussels, Belgium, in 2005, and a fourth in New Delhi, India, in 2007.

These conferences are organized by the government of the host country in partnership with the Forum of Federations and provide a forum for sharing experience related to challenges associated with the governance and operation of federal and federal-type systems. All previous conferences have had participation from the highest levels of government, including heads of state, heads of government, heads of constituent units, legislators, senior officials, as well as young professionals, academics, and private sector and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives. Both the number of participants and countries of origin of participants grew from conference to conference. While 500 participants coming from 25 countries participated in Mt. Tremblant, the New Delhi conference hosted 1,300 participants from 116 countries. Ethiopia will host about 600 participants in the 5th conference from the whole world.

The first conference focused on the challenges of federalism in a globalizing world and offered an opportunity for discussion of four topics around the welfare state, social diversity, inter-governmental relations and economic and fiscal arrangements. The second conference paid special attention to foreign policies, conflict management in multi-cultural societies and fiscal federalism. These three topics reflected current issues of the host country, Switzerland, with its multi-cultural society and fiscal reform projects under discussion for a number of years prior to the conference., Belgium had opted for federalism in 1993 in order to accommodate the tri-communal character of Belgian society. As Belgium was still a young federation at the time of the conference, questions of the founding and functioning of federal arrangements, models of distribution of power and foreign policies in the federal states were at the core of the third conference. Being one of the biggest and most diverse federations, India chose the theme ‘UNITY IN DIVERSITY—learning from each other’. Managing cultural, ethno-linguistic and religious diversities along with economic imbalances were the main issues discussed during this conference. During the 4th International Conference on Federalism in New Delhi, India, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, His Excellency Meles Zenawi, announced that Ethiopia would host the 5th International Conference on Federalism.

The 5th International Conference will be the first hosted by an African country; previous conferences took place in North America, Asia and Europe (twice).

Bringing the 5th International Conference on Federalism to Ethiopia offers a unique opportunity to include African perspectives in the discussion on achievements and challenges of federalism. While federalism has been regarded with some reluctance in the majority of African countries for various reasons, Ethiopia is one of the few African countries which opted for a federal democratic system after the overthrow of the military regime that had ruled the country until 1991.

Federal or quasi-federal arrangements have proven workable for a number of African countries, like Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. Despite their ethnic diversities, most of these countries have not based their constitutions on territorially clustered cultural-linguistic communities as has been the case in Ethiopia. The “nations, nationalities and peoples “ of Ethiopia are constitutionally sovereign. These sovereign entities voluntarily united to form the federation. The Ethiopian federal state belongs to them collectively. The theme of the 5th International Conference on Federalism, ‘EQUALITY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT’, reflects the need for sustainable development in federal, federalizing or decentralizing countries in Africa and other non-Western regions. Sustainable development requires equality and unity in diversity, qualities necessary for the emergence and sustenance of social peace and democracy. The theme selection follows the well-established tradition of concentrating on topics that are relevant to the host country as well as to federal, federalizing and decentralizing countries in the region and around the world.

MISSION OF THE 5TH International CONFERENCE
In addition to consideration of international experience, the 5th International Conference also provides a forum for sharing the national experience and for learning from regional examples within Ethiopia. Local conferences have also been taking place in all of Ethiopia’s regional states since the last few months. Specific target groups such as youth, women, business people, peasants and pastoralists have discussed issues relating to their specific experience with federalism. The results of these pre-conference meetings will be made available to all conference participants giving them a chance to learn more about the host country. High school students from all regional states were also offered the opportunity to participate in an essay competition. The winners may be invited to the main conference and their essays may be published along with the selected Ethiopian case studies.

TOPICS OF THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
The theme ‘EQUALITY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT will be discussed under five topics. These topics, to be considered in parallel, are as follows:
1. Federalism and the Democratization Process
2. The Impacts of Regionalization and Globalization on Federations
3. Unity in Diversity through Federalism
4. Federalism and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Mechanisms 5. Fiscal Federalism and Equitable Development
Under each topic, there will be three different questions for discussion to be considered sequentially in three Work Sessions. The questions will relate to the main theme of the conference, ‘EQUALITY AND UNITY IN DIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT’. Each question will be considered in a Work Session from three different perspectives with one case study each from Ethiopia, Africa and the rest of the world.

At the 5th International Conference on Federalism, a total of 45 case studies on federalism and decentralized governance systems—15 from Ethiopia, 15 from Africa and 15 from the rest of the world—will be presented by experts, academics and practitioners for discussion. In addition, a Book on Ethiopian Federalism covering more than a dozen case studies on the practical management of the Ethiopian Federation over the past decade or so will also be presented at the 5th ICF. The outcome of the conference will be published along with 2,500-word detailed studies of the 45 cases mentioned here above in proceedings that may serve as reference materials for future researchers in the area.

For more information, please, visit the 5th ICF Secretariat’s website at: www.ethiopianfederalism.org, Or contact: 5th International Conference on Federalism Secretariat (5th ICF) P.O.Box 55785, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, Tel. +251-111-116969 E-mail: secretariat@5thicfethiopia.org