Ethiopia's National Election Board launched a code of conduct for candidates in the upcoming general election. At an event, 48 political parties signed the code and unveiled their campaign symbols. This occurred 100 days before the vote.
On February 21, 2026, Ethiopia's National Election Board (NEBE) hosted an event at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, where 48 registered political parties for the seventh general election signed a code of conduct. The parties and independent candidates pledged jointly to adhere to the code, which outlines rules and boundaries for campaigning.
NEBE's Second Chairperson, Tesfaye Neway, stated: "The code is designed to ensure peaceful election campaigning and processes, provide an equal playing field, protect voters' freedom, and guarantee a fair and credible electoral outcome."
At the event's opening, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu announced the completion of a two-day training program for 300 main trainers. These trainers will educate 5,000 field trainers, who in turn will prepare 214,000 officials assigned to polling stations. Melatwork said: "This cascading training system is intended to promote a fair, independent, and free election by ensuring competent, constitutionally guided officials capable of making accountable decisions, particularly with the introduction of a new digital method."
The event took place 100 days before the election, with parties emphasizing the code's role in achieving trustworthy results.