Forty-eight political parties competing in Ethiopia’s seventh general election have signed a formal code of conduct during a forum organized by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). The event, which brought together civil society groups and media representatives, also served as the official unveiling of the symbols under which each party will contest the upcoming vote.

Melatwork Hailu, the Chairperson of the Board, told attendees that a free, peaceful, and fair election is only possible if all parties respect the law and fulfill their responsibilities. She emphasized that the success of the polls would be the result of a collective effort from all stakeholders.

The code itself consists of seven chapters and 30 articles and was developed following extensive discussions with the participating parties, according to the Board's Deputy Chairperson, Tesfaye Neway. Tesfaye also issued a call to the media, urging outlets to provide equal and unbiased opportunities for all political groups to present their policies and programs to the public.

Officials noted that the signing marks a critical milestone for the next phase of the electoral process, which includes official campaign activities and the candidate debates currently being organized by the Board.