H.E. Ato Alemante Agidew, President of the Amhara Regional Supreme Court, on the successful completion of the International Conference on the Rule of Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms for Sustainable Peace and Development

Over the past two days in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia has demonstrated something powerful: that even in moments shaped by hardship, we retain the capacity to choose dialogue over division, justice over grievance, and hope over despair. The International Conference on the Rule of Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms for Sustainable Peace and Development brought together policymakers, scholars, practitioners, community leaders, and partners to reaffirm a shared conviction—that lasting peace is built not only through laws and institutions, but through trust, reconciliation, and justice that reaches the people where they live.

The discussions reflected a clear consensus. In Ethiopia, and particularly in the Amhara Region, strengthening the rule of law requires a justice system that is accessible, culturally grounded, and responsive to post-conflict realities.

Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms—rooted both in modern legal frameworks and long-standing community practices—are essential to easing the burden on courts, restoring social cohesion, resolving economic and communal disputes, and supporting national dialogue and transitional justice. When formal and customary systems walk side by side, justice becomes not only more efficient, but more legitimate and more enduring.

Participants emphasized that the various components of Alternative Dispute Resolution—including mediation, arbitration, conciliation, negotiation, and community-based and customary justice mechanisms—serve as practical instruments for advancing the rule of law and sustainable development. By offering timely, fair, and participatory avenues for resolving disputes, these mechanisms promote legal certainty, reduce conflict, strengthen social cohesion, and create a stable environment for economic recovery and investment. When guided by clear legal frameworks and human rights principles, ADR reinforces accountability, expands access to justice, and transforms conflict into an opportunity for dialogue, reconciliation, and shared progress.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency Ato Temesgen Tiruneh, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and His Excellency Ato Arega Kebede, the President of the Amhara National Regional State, for their leadership and participation, which underscored the national importance of this endeavor.

I also extend deep gratitude to Bahir Dar University for its steadfast partnership and co-organization of this Conference, reflecting the vital role of academic institutions in shaping policy, reform, and peace.

The road ahead will require patience, courage, and collective effort. But the message from Bahir Dar is clear: the Amhara Region will return to peace. Through justice that heals rather than divides, through institutions that serve the people, and through a shared commitment to reconciliation and development, we will move forward—together—toward a future defined not by conflict, but by dignity, stability, and opportunity for all.