The continued underrepresentation of the Southern ethnolinguistic groups in key federal institutions, particularly within the Executive and Judiciary branches, combined with the limited legislative authority and ineffectiveness of the House of Federation, highlights a fundamental gap in Ethiopia’s federal system. The failure to uphold the principles of consociational democracy and to defend the distinct interests of the Southern ethnolinguistic groups underscores the urgent need for an organized platform. SAFE-Ethiopia emerges as a critical initiative to advocate for institutional reform, genuine federal representation, and the establishment of veto power for ethnolinguistic within the federal upper house, thereby ensuring equitable participation and protection of regional autonomy

The political and economic trajectory of the Southern Nations has long been contingent upon the discretion and loyalty of the federal government, particularly the Prime Minister, rather than being anchored in constitutional guarantees of equal rights. This dependency has undermined equitable development, fair wealth and infrastructure distribution, and meaningful participation in national decision-making. Therefore, the formation of SAFE-Ethiopia is essential to advocate for constitutional accountability, institutional fairness, and the protection of the Southern Nations’ rightful stake in Ethiopia’s shared future.

The growing threat of cultural assimilation and the erosion of ethnolinguistic diversity pose serious risks to the identity and rights of current and future generations of the Southern Nations. This is further compounded by a deliberate strategy to monopolize socioeconomic advantages, intended to sustain long-term political dominance and resource centralization in selected regions of the country. Such practices violate the constitutional principles of equitable development and undermine the foundation of federalism rationale in Ethiopia. These conditions necessitated the formation of SAFE-Ethiopia as a platform committed to safeguarding cultural plurality, promoting equitable development, and fair distribution of national wealth for all groups.

The Southern ethnolinguistic groups remain largely unaware of their systematic sociopolitical and economic marginalization from the national political framework and decision-making processes. Under the guise of promoting Ethiopian unity, political actors have engaged in performative unity-building while sidelining the region’s legitimate voices. The proliferation of politicized narratives and unattainable promises, devoid of meaningful outcomes, has only deepened the exclusion. This has resulted in the gradual decline of the Southern ethnolinguistic groups’ constitutional right to participate equally in shaping the country’s future, as well as the deliberate curtailment of their political agency and economic opportunity in favor of centralized domination. These injustices underline the necessity of establishing SAFE-Ethiopia as a platform to raise awareness and empower Southern Nations.

Past efforts by individual ethnolinguistic groups from Southern Ethiopia to protect their socio-political and economic interests have faced significant limitations and failed to yield sustainable outcomes. These unilateral struggles have exposed the structural disadvantages and fragmentation that hinder equitable participation in the national framework. In response, the formation of a unified alliance—SAFE Ethiopia—has become imperative. By bringing together historically marginalized Southern nations and nationalities under a collective platform, this alliance aims to amplify their voice, secure shared and lasting benefits, and strengthen their contribution to a stable, inclusive, and democratic Ethiopian state.

Despite constitutional guarantees, the Southern ethnolinguistic groups in Ethiopia continue to face systemic marginalization under current politico-economic policies, albeit in new and more severe forms. These communities continued to be denied equitable access to development opportunities, self-governance, and meaningful participation in federal affairs SAFE-ETHIOPIA is founded on the belief that the Southern ethnolinguistic communities are entitled to fair political representation, economic inclusion, and the constitutional right to self-rule. The prevailing relationship between the Federal Government’s expectation of “loyalty” and the “duty” imposed upon the Southern peoples reflects a deeply imbalanced and unjust dynamic—arguably one of the most regressive of the 21st century. In response, the formation of SAFE-ETHIOPIA aims to raise awareness, mobilize collective advocacy, and build institutional capacity among ethnolinguistic groups, civic organizations, and concerned individuals. It serves as a platform to defend and advance the socio-political and economic rights of these communities, promoting justice, equity, and inclusive governance within the federal structure of Ethiopia.