AU WATCH

Ethopia

Brief Overview

Ethiopia’s location gives it strategic dominance as a jumping off point in the Horn of Africa, close to the Middle East and its markets. Bordering Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Sudan, Ethiopia is landlocked, and has been using neighboring Djibouti’s main port for the last two decades. However, with the recent peace with Eritrea, Ethiopia is set to resume accessing the Eritrean ports of Assab and Massawa for its international trade.

With about 109 million people (2018), Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa after Nigeria, and the fastest growing economy in the region. However, it is also one of the poorest, with a per capita income of $790. Ethiopia aims to reach lower-middle-income status by 2025.

Economic Overview

Ethiopia’s economy experienced strong, broad-based growth averaging 9.9% a year from 2007/08 to 2017/18, compared to a regional average of 5.4%. Ethiopia’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth decelerated to 7.7% in 2017/18. Industry, mainly construction, and services accounted for most of the growth. Agriculture and manufacturing made lower contribution to growth in 207/18 compared to the previous year. Private consumption and public investment explain demand-side growth, the latter assuming an increasingly important role.

Higher economic growth brought with it positive trends in poverty reduction in both urban and rural areas. The share of the population living below the national poverty line decreased from 30% in 2011 to 24% in 2016. The government is implementing the second phase of its Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II) which will run to 2019/20. GTP II aims to continue expanding physical infrastructure through public investments and to transform the country into a manufacturing hub. GTP II targets an average of 11% GDP growth annually, and in line with the manufacturing strategy, the industrial sector is set to expand by 20% on average, creating more jobs.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Capital: Addis Ababa
Population: 102.5 million

Area: 1.13 million sq km (437,794 sq miles)

Major languages: Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali

Major religions: Christianity, Islam

Life expectancy: 63 years (men), 67 years (women)

Currency: Birr

UN, World Bank

President: Sahle-Work Zewde

Development Challenges

Ethiopia’s main challenges are sustaining its positive economic growth and accelerating poverty reduction, which both require significant progress in job creation as well as improved governance. The government is devoting a high share of its budget to pro-poor programs and investments. Large scale donor support will continue to provide a vital contribution in the near-term to finance the cost of pro-poor programs. Key challenges are related to:

-Limited competitiveness, which constrains the development of manufacturing, the creation of jobs and the increase of exports.
-An underdeveloped private sector, which would limit the country’s trade competitiveness and resilience to shocks. The government aims to expand the role of the private sector through foreign investment and industrial parks to make Ethiopia’s -growth momentum more sustainable.
-Political disruption, associated with social unrest, could negatively impact growth through lower foreign direct investment, tourism and exports.

Important Addresses and Contacts

Physical Contacts of the Presidency

Name of Minister:

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Physical Contacts of the Prime Minister’s Office

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Physical Contacts of the National Assembly

Name of Speaker of the House:

Address:
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Physical Contacts of the Chief Of State and Cabinet Ministers

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Physical Contacts of the Ministry of Interior

Name of Minister:

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Fax

Physical Contacts of the Ministry of Justice

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Physical Contacts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Physical Contacts of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs

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Physical Contacts of the National Human Rights Commission

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Physical Contacts of the Police

Name of Inspector General:

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Physical Contacts of the Military

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Important Information of Key Human Rights Issues in Ethiopia


Number Prisons in Ethiopia
Number Prisoners in Ethiopia
Secret Detention Centres:
Police Stations in Ethiopia

Corruption in Ethiopia

 

What are the current and ongoing human rights issues in Ethiopia

 

(1) Freedom of the Press

 

(2) Human Rights Defenders Issues

 

(3) Impunity

Membership of African Regional Organisations

 

African Union (AU)

Joined the OAU 

Signed the Constitutive Act of The African Union on: 

Ratified:Instrument Deposited:

Key Regional Human Rights & Governance InstrumentsSigned and Ratified

 

  1. African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights

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2.Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights

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  1. Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights

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4.Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights

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  1. Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

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  1. African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption

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  1. African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance

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  1. Statute of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL)

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  1. OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa

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  1. African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention)

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  1. Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment

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  1. African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

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  1. Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons

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  1. Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa

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