This thesis focuses on the responses of federal institutions to the Oromo-Somali inter-ethnic conflict in 2017 with particular focus to the ministry of federal and pastoral development affairs. To this end, the researcher employed qualitative approach with case study research design. The data collected through semi-structured interview, key informant interview, telephone interview and document analysis were thematically analyzed. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select the informants. The findings of this study revealed that the Somali and Oromo have had a long history of relationship marked by friendly coexistence and occasional conflict. In the earlier times, the Oromo-Somali conflict was caused by competition over scarce resource and recurrent drought though, after 1991, the conflict intensified due the factors including the ethnic based federal structure, the contested administrative boundary, influence of political leaders and activists and absence of good governance. Beside this today the nature of the conflict is also changed from boundary conflict to both boundary and inter-ethnic conflict. The actors of the conflict are Special police, Militia, Adma Betagn, the government officials and political elites. Indeed, the study identified that the Oromo-Somali conflict had very destructive on socio economic and political consequences. The finding of this study also shows that the House of federation is not contributing its constitutional duty to resolve the Oromo-Somali conflict and the institutional response to the conflict is weak. However, the ministry of federal and pastoral development affairs made multiple efforts to resolve the conflict. The current study shows that the area needs immediate attention from all concerned bodies and should implement different mechanisms and strategies to settle the conflicts to bring lasting peace.