This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from a U4 Partner Agency. The U4 Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International in collaboration with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre based at the Chr. Michelsen Institute.
Query
Please provide an overview of corruption and anti-corruption in Ethiopia: the political abuse of anti-corruption efforts, the link to human rights and the situation with political clientelism.
Summary
Sustained corruption and human rights violations have caused widespread unrest in Ethiopia since 2015. A change in the country’s leadership in 2018 provided Ethiopians with hope of a change to the status quo. Corruption exists in various forms, including but not limited to clientelism, kleptocracy, rent seeking and state capture. While anti-corruption laws remain strong in principle, they are not implemented adequately. The executive maintains control over the judiciary and legislature.
Contents
- Background
- The Emerging Political Settlement
- Overview of corruption in Ethiopia
- Legal and institutional anti-corruption framework
- References
Main points
- Ethiopia remains a closed political space, with the ruling coalition retaining all federal and regional parliamentary seats, and silencing any opposing voices.
- Corruption remains a pervasive issue, and the new prime minister has pledged to make addressing it a priority.
- Widespread human rights violations and ensuing impunity of the abusers seems to be the norm.
- Ethiopia’s commitment to anti-corruption needs to be backed up by investing in building the capacity of institutions with anti-corruption mandates.
Authors
Kaunain Rahman
Reviewer:
Monica Kirya, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre
Date
20/06/2019
Tags
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