← Back to briefingZenaHub.
Englishአማርኛ
Politics

Audit Reveals Opaque Suspensions and Lax Oversight by Civil Society Authority

The Reporter (Amharic) · 7 hours ago · Read the Full Story on The Reporter (Amharic)
Audit Reveals Opaque Suspensions and Lax Oversight by Civil Society Authority
AI SUMMARY

A federal audit report reveals that the Authority for Civil Society Organizations has been suspending and closing organizations without following proper administrative procedures, obtaining board approval, or conducting adequate oversight.

  • The Federal Auditor General's report covering 2024/25 and early 2025/26 revealed that the Authority for Civil Society Organizations suspends and closes registered groups without prior warnings or board approval.
  • The Authority routinely bypasses mandated administrative procedures such as written warnings, formal notices, and board notification when issuing suspension orders.
  • Several organizations, including the Somali Journalists Syndicate, the Alliance for International Medical Action, the Human Rights Council, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center, faced opaque and non-procedural suspensions.
  • The Authority bypassed transparent public bidding processes for civil society funding in 2024/25, instead distributing 9 million Birr to four organizations based solely on leadership discretion.
  • Numerous registered development associations, including Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, and Tigray development associations, were found operating outside of their registered regional jurisdictions.
  • Out of 1,509 organizations that should have been closed for failing to re-register in 2025/26, about 600 could not be located at their registered addresses during field inspections.
  • Although mandated to register over 5,000 organizations annually, the Authority registered only 14 in 2023/24, seven in 2024/25, and two in the first quarter of 2025/26, with only 12 percent completing asset registration.
  • The Authority's board has not held a meeting since April 2024, leaving suspended organizations unable to appeal their cases.
Read the Full Story on The Reporter (Amharic)
Related
Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission Spends Over 3.17 Billion Birr
The Reporter (Amharic) · 8 hours ago
USCIS Announces Higher Immigration Fees Starting October 16
News Week Magazine · yesterday
National Dialogue Commission Hands Over Final Recommendations Document
Wazema · yesterday
Yetimgeta Asrat Appointed President of Central Ethiopia Region
TIKVAH Ethiopia · 2 days ago