By: Nakachew Ayele
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia Today), April 26, 2023: Ethiopian lawmakers approved a bill to amend the Defense Forces Act, which consists of voluntary national military service for students who have completed their education.
The new bill allows the Ministry of Defense to recruit voluntary students who are over 18 years old and have finished their high school or university educations into the national service.
After taking military training, the students would provide military service for two years, according to Dima Nogo (PhD), chairman of the Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs standing committee at the House of People’s Representatives (HoPR).
“If the students voluntarily become members of the regular defense force or the national reserve force, the ministry will ensure that their related benefits and rights are guaranteed,” it added.
According to the chairman, the amended Defense Forces Act would enable the National Defense Force to carry out its mission of protecting the country without any political bias. The bill was approved as Proclamation No. 1286/2023 with six abstentions and a majority vote.
