Officials of the Ministry of Peace have signed a multimillion dollars agreement with leaders of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council (ECSOC), and the Ethiopian Political Parties Joint Council to partner on the promotion of national dialogue. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has recently signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance and the National Dialogue Commission, allocating 2.2 million dollars to support the process. The federal Parliament legislated an institution in December last year, commissioning 11 members to serve the cause of national dialogue, chaired by Mesfin Araya (Prof.), a mental health physician. The tripartite deal was signed last week at the Capital Hotel, on Haile Gebresellasie Road, emphasising the importance of inclusivity while undertaking the dialogue. Organisers hope the partnership provides political parties with a permissive environment ensuring inclusivity and transparency towards a positive outcome of the national dialogue effort.