August 12, 2005

Ambassadors’ Donor Group Statement

Following the announcement by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEB) on August 9 of further election results, the Ambassadors’ Donor Group (ADG) in Ethiopia notes that those declared to date give a majority to the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).  The ADG underscores once again its support for the democratization process and our willingness to continue our partnership with the Ethiopian people, government, and political parties to build on these historic elections and the resultant more vibrant multi-party system.  The ADG reiterates its support for the electoral process in Ethiopia, and underlines the importance of the June 10 Joint Declaration by political parties in which they committed to use only the established legal electoral mechanisms, including the courts, to determine the outcome of the elections and affirmed their commitment to abide by the results.  We note reports of irregularities in the process, but we await the publication of the findings of the international observer missions, which will provide a basis for working with all parties to strengthen the democratic system further.  We refer to our statements of May 20, June 8, and June 29 as indication of some of our concerns and areas of focus for our partnership in future.  We call on all parties to approach this new chapter in their political history in a spirit of inclusivity, through constructive dialogue and avoiding violence, and thereby help ensure that the country emerges from these important elections with a deeper commitment by Ethiopians of all views to the democratic process and a peaceful future.

This statement is endorsed by:

African Development Bank
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Delegation of the European Commission
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
World Bank