The American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) Ethiopia Country Program is dedicated to advancing peacebuilding, social cohesion, policy influencing, and humanitarian support to refugees and internally displaced people in Ethiopia. 

By aligning with the Horn of Africa Advocacy Strategy for Peace and Stability (ASPS) 2023–2033 report's thematic areas—Research and Evidence-Based Advocacy, Inclusion, Transitional Justice and Healing, Governance, and Climate and Environmental Justice—the Ethiopia Country Program addresses systemic drivers of conflict that lead to instability, trauma, internal and external migration. This work fosters inclusive dialogue and advocates for sustainable peace and resilience. 

A key pilot initiative under the Ethiopia Country Program is the Healing and Reconciliation (HEAR) Project, which operationalizes the above-mentioned 10-year strategy to focus on conflict-affected regions like Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz. 

The HEAR Project addresses unhealed trauma, fosters community-led reconciliation, influences policies related to healing and transitional justice, and empowers marginalized groups, particularly women, youth and persons with disabilities. By integrating traditional conflict resolution mechanisms with formal justice systems, the project ensures an inclusive, culturally rooted approach to healing. 

Through sustained engagement, the Ethiopia Country Program nurtures and sustains partnerships with government ministries under which the interventions are anchored. These ministries include but are not limited to the Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs. 

The program’s holistic approach prioritizes locally led solutions, amplifies marginalized voices, strengthens democratic participation, and advances climate-responsive peace initiatives, cultivating a transformative ecosystem for conflict prevention, social justice, and long-term stability in Ethiopia.