The Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD) is an Ethiopian

political alliance A parliamentary group, parliamentary caucus or political group is a group consisting of members of different political parties or independent politicians with similar ideologies. Some parliamentary systems allow smaller political parties, who a ...

formed 22 May 2006 from the

Oromo Liberation Front The Oromo Liberation Front (, abbreviated: ABO; English abbreviation: OLF) is an Oromo nationalist political party formed in 1973 to promote self-determination and the independence for the Oromo people inhabiting today's Oromia Region and Oromi ...

(OLF), the

Ogaden National Liberation Front The Ogaden National Liberation Front, abbreviated ONLF, (, JWXO; ) is a Somali nationalist armed and political organization seeking self-determination for the Somali-inhabited Ogaden (Somali region) of eastern Ethiopia. Founded in 1984 by forme ...

(ONLF), the

Sidama National Liberation Front The Sidama National Liberation Front, also known as Sidama Liberation Front (Abbreviation, abbreviated SNLF or SLF) was a rebel group in the Sidama Region of Ethiopia. The SNLF allied with the Oromo Liberation Front in 2012 and the Ogaden Nationa ...

(SNLF), the

Coalition for Unity and Democracy The Coalition for Unity and Democracy ( Ge'ez : ቅንጅት ለአንድነት እና ዴሞክራሲ), commonly referred to by its English abbreviation CUD, or occasionally CDU (its Amharic abbreviation, used in Ethiopia, is Qinijit; in Englis ...

(CUD), and the Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front (EPPF, also known as ''Arbegnoch Gimbar'' or Patriot's Front).

Creation

It was created when the leaders from the OLF called on all parties of what is currently the AFD and a few others that turned down the offer, to form an Alliance to coordinate their efforts in toppling the

EPRDF The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF; ) was an ethnic federalist political coalition in Ethiopia that existed from 1989 to 2019. It consisted of four political parties: Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara ...

government led by

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Meles Zenawi Meles Zenawi Asres ( Tigringa and ; ), born Legesse Zenawi Asres (8 May 1955 – 20 August 2012) was an Ethiopian politician and former rebel militant commander who served as president of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995 and as prime minister from 19 ...

. Another opposition group, UEDF, was once part of it until it left the coalition.

People's Alliance for Freedom and Democracy

An overlapping but distinct coalition held its first meeting from 21–25 March 2016 in

Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...

, grouping together the OLF, the ONLF, the SNLF, the

Gambela People's Liberation Movement The Gambela People's Liberation Movement (Abbreviation, abbreviated GPLM) was a rebel group in the Gambela Region in Ethiopia. The GPLM was founded by Anuak people, Anuak dissidents during the Derg, Derg regime. The organization remained dominate ...

, and the

Benishangul People's Liberation Movement Benishangul People's Liberation Movement or BPLM is an armed rebel group based in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. BPLM signed peace deals with the federal Ethiopian government in 2005, 2013 and 2022. Creation According to '' Tigrai Onli ...

References

External links

Statement announcing the formation of the Alliance for Freedom and DemocracyEthiopia's largest opposition party has announced it has formed an alliance with four rebel groups.
2006 establishments in Ethiopia Democracy movements Political parties established in 2006 Political party alliances in Ethiopia {{Ethiopia-party-stub