ADDIS ABABA (U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia) – A delegation of five U.S. Congresspersons and seven staff members from the U.S. House of Representatives visited Ethiopia 9-10 October 2019. The delegation was led by Congressman David Price, Chairman of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP). The other delegation members were Congressman Markwayne Mullin, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, and Congresswoman Alma Adams.
The HDP is a bi-partisan, twenty-member commission of the U.S. House of Representatives that works directly with partner countries around the world to support the development of effective, independent, and responsive legislative institutions. The delegation is in Ethiopia to learn more about the reform efforts underway.
The delegation participated in a full program of meetings, highlighted by an audience with Her Excellency, President Sahle-Work Zewde. During their meeting with the President, the delegation discussed the importance of strong legislative institutions and reinforced the United States’ ongoing commitment to its strong economic, political, and security partnerships with Ethiopia.
The delegation attended a luncheon hosted by U.S. Ambassador Michael Raynor, where they met with leaders from various political parties in Ethiopia. The members of the delegation discussed the ongoing opening of political space in the country under the Government of Ethiopia’s ambitious reform plan.
At the House of People’s Representatives, Congressman Price and the delegation met with Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of the People’s Representatives, and members of the Foreign Relations and Peace Committee, the Trade and Industry Committee, and the Democracy and Rule of Law Committee. During these meetings, the delegation discussed ways to engender peer-to-peer cooperation between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives to build expertise that enhances accountability, transparency, legislative independence, access to information, and government oversight.
Source: U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia