Ethiopia
Our programme in Ethiopia
Ethiopia finds itself in the midst of a turbulent transitional period since the ascent of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. Steps forwards in institutional reforms have been paralleled by an increasingly uncertain security situation. The 2019 Organizations of Civil Society Proclamation opened up public space for international and national civil society organisations (CSOs). However, the reignition of conflicts across several of Ethiopia’s regional states has complicated operations. Fighting between government forces and the former ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), caused large-scale death, suffering and displacement. Since the November 2022 peace agreement, violence has decreased, but tensions remain as Amhara and Eritrean forces continue to occupy parts of Tigray. Resentment for the peace agreement and for other longstanding grievances have caused a resurgence of the Fano insurgency in Amhara, and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in Oromia. The situation is further complicated by tense relationships with neighbouring countries. In particular, Somalia’s growing alignment with Egypt and the recent agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland authorities for access to the Gulf of Aden constitute important points of attrition.
During this visibly turbulent transitional phase, Ethiopia faces enormous and urgent conflict prevention and peacebuilding needs. The challenging operational environment necessitates innovative and bold nonviolent engagements with the broadest number of peace and conflict actors to foster peace for everyone without discrimination.
LPI in Ethiopia
Since 1991, we have supported locally-driven peacebuilding initiatives in Ethiopia through partnerships with communities, traditional leaders, local CSOs and faith-based institutions. Pre-2019, operational space for international organisations was very limited as the 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation prevented organisations receiving more than 10% of their income from foreign sources from working on human rights, conflict resolution, advocacy and governance. In May 2014, LPI received approval for Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to set up a regional office to coordinate LPI’s Horn of Africa Regional Programme (HARP). HARP has been a key resource for LPI country programmes and local partners to engage with regional policymakers, notably the African Union and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Together with the Ethiopian Institute for Peace (EIP - former Peace and Development Center), we developed innovative forms of partnership with Ethiopian academic institutions, beginning with Addis Ababa University, to support capacity strengthening efforts in conflict transformation and Sustained Dialogue processes within universities and student clubs. Young students are brought together across identity lines, to discuss the dynamics that triggered conflicts on and off campus. The project has been incredibly well received and has been fully funded and managed by the Addis Ababa University and its students since 2013. Based on this successful experience, we expanded the application of Sustained Dialogue to five other Ethiopian universities in partnership with EIP.
Between 2014 and 2022, we have worked on conflict sensitive land administration in East Hararghe (Oromia region) and strengthened a strategic partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE). Following major political changes in 2018, we piloted new methodologies such as the ‘Listening Tour’, and ‘Synergising Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding (SNAP)’. The 2017-2022 programme cycle coincided with a remarkable period of turmoil that catalysed discussions on LPI’s role in Ethiopia.
Our work
These reflections have shaped our strategic choices for the current 2023-2026 Ethiopia programme ´Sowing the Seeds of Peace in Ethiopia´, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation (Sida). Under the programme, we recently concluded the GAC-funded project 'Strengthening Women-led Community Reconciliation in the Regional State of Oromia, Ethiopia’ and the EU-funded project ‘Civil Society Capacity Strengthening for Peace (CS4P)’. At a strategic level, our Ethiopia Programme seeks to nurture and sustain civil society-led, inclusive peacebuilding processes for prevention, management and resolution of conflict by peaceful means by contributing to four pillars of work, and in alignment with LPI’s strategic priorities.
Pillar 1: Civil Society Capacities for Peace
The peacebuilding civil society sector in Ethiopia has been growing steadily since the democratic reforms of 2018-2019. We seek to support and foster this growth by providing technical capacity strengthening support and coaching, and by providing small grants to emerging CSOs so that they can engage in peacebuilding in a more systematic and intentional manner. In supporting Ethiopian peacebuilding CSOs, we focus on strengthening nation-wide collaboration and networking to boost impact and ensure complementarity.
Pillar 2: Peaceful University Communities
Based on our decades-long experience in peacebuilding within Ethiopian public universities, and informed by the continued relevance of universities in shaping political discourse in Ethiopia, we seek to work with selected universities to set up conflict early warning systems, and to prevent and resolve identity-based conflicts through the Sustained Dialogue methodology.
Pillar 3: Community-led Conflict Transformation
We seek to work with conflict-affected communities in selected regions in Ethiopia to facilitate community-led conflict transformation through dialogue processes, relationship-building and joint actions, using approaches such as participatory action research (PAR) as a guiding methodology. Partnerships with local organisations and peace structures are key to our conflict transformation efforts. Under this pillar, the Ethiopia office also supports the EU-funded project ‘Mobility and Movement: Cross-Border Resilience in Moyale’ implemented by a cross-border LPI team in the Southern borderlands between Ethiopia and Kenya. The Project focuses on intervention in four cross-border corridors between Kenya and Moyale Ethiopia, Hidi Lola, Magado and Dilo.
Pillar 4: Policy Window Action and Strategic Engagement
Under this pillar, we seek to strengthen stakeholder relationship-building and ‘high impact’ political engagement in support of Ethiopian policy development, at the regional and national level, and of nation-wide dialogue and reconciliation processes. We capitalise on ‘windows of opportunity’ that might arise during programme implementation, such as the national dialogue process, to influence policy development. This kind of opportunistic policy engagement seeks to boost integration and cohesion within and across all the other programme pillars, leveraging LPI’s legitimacy in Ethiopia and in the Horn of Africa.
Currently, we are implementing two projects in line with our strategic pillars:
The ‘Peaceful University Communities’ project in partnership with EIP and the universities of Hawassa and Mekelle, under pillar 2 of our programme.
The ‘Community-led Conflict Transformation Through Participatory Action Research (PAR)’ in partnership with Biftu Bira for Humanitarian Organisation (BB4HO) and the Eastern Development Initiative (EDI), under pillar 3 of our programme.
Partners are key to our success
We have an expansive network of partners in Ethiopia, and we recently contributed to the creation of the Network of Ethiopian Peacebuilding Actors (NEPA). The Network comprises 23 CSOs that add to the 9 partners currently involved in our programmatic work.
Current programme partners
Biftu Bira for Humanitarian Organization (BB4HO) Biftu Bira for Humanitarian Organization is a non-profit organisation based in Shashemene, Ethiopia. Since its establishment on 25 January 2001, it has partnered with various national and international organisations to address challenges for Ethiopian youth and promote their empowerment. On 12 September 2012, BB4HO became an independent, non-profit local NGO registered under the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). Currently, it implements projects in the areas of climate change adaptation, education, emergency response, health, peacebuilding, and women and youth empowerment. Together with LPI and EDI, BB4HO implements the 'Community-led Conflict Transformation through Participatory Action Research (PAR)’ project.
Eastern Development Initiative (EDI) Eastern Development Initiative is a registered CSO under the ACSO. It has implemented a number of projects since its establishment in 2008 across Ethiopia, seeking to serve Ethiopian citizens without discrimination. Currently, EDI implements peace projects funded by USAID and the EU. In partnership with LPI and BB4HO, it implements the 'Community-led Conflict Transformation through Participatory Action Research (PAR)’ project in Dire Dawa City. EDI seeks to see an Ethiopian society in which a holistic and balanced development process is put in place, giving women, girls and the youth the societal significance and place they deserve in building a self-reliant, culturally, socially, political and economically advanced Ethiopia whose peoples are guaranteed equity between the sexes and among the generations.
Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations Council (ECSOC) The Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations Council was established under the Organizations of Civil Society Proclamation (No. 1113 of March 2019). The first General Assembly was held on 31 December 2020 and its 300 members democratically elected the 21 members of the Executive Committee responsible for coordinating and leading the Council in fulfilling its mandate. The Council seeks to be a catalyst for establishing and maintaining an enabling environment for the inclusive participation of non-state actors, allowing them to engage in issues of democracy, human rights, elections and peacebuilding. ECSOC seeks to see a vibrant, credible and influential civil society sector advocating for and protecting the rights and dignity of Ethiopian citizens.
Ethiopian Institute of Peace (EIP) EIP is one of the oldest local peacebuilding organisations in Ethiopia. It has been a partner of LPI since its foundation in 1989 as the Peace and Development Centre (PDC). For thirty years, PDC/EIP was one of the very few local NGOs allowed to work on peacebuilding within Ethiopia. Since 2013, EIP has been LPI’s partner in implementing Sustained Dialogue processes across Ethiopian universities with widely-recognised success. Between 2018 and 2022, EIP and LPI implemented the 'Strengthening Capacity for Conflict Sensitive Land Administration' project. Most recently, Sustained Dialogue processes have been set up by LPI and EIP in the Hawassa and Mekelle universities as part of the ‘Peaceful Universities Communities’ pillar of LPI’s 2022-2026 programme.
Inter Africa Group (IAG) Inter Africa Group (IAG) is an independent non-profit organisation established in 1989 with the mission of supporting sustainable development, strengthening democratic institutions, deepening democratic culture, and promoting peace and security in the Horn of Africa. Over the years, IAG has gained a significant role in peacebuilding across the region and in countering violent extremism in collaboration with national government actors, IGAD, and international partners, like LPI. IAG’s envisions a Horn of Africa where human rights are respected, democratic culture flourishes and economic development and peace are achievable.
UNDP Ethiopia The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was born out of the 1966 merger of the UN Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and the UN Special Fund. As the leading agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. It helps countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Its work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP first signed an agreement of cooperation with Ethiopia in February 1981. Since then, UNDP Ethiopia has provided strategic support, and strengthened the capacity of national institutions to deliver much-needed development results. UNDP’s strategic approach has helped Ethiopia set up key national institutions such as the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange (ECX), the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), the Ethiopian Tourism Organisation (ETO) and the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC).
Ministries of the Ethiopian Government – Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education LPI has partnerships with a number of ministries of the Ethiopian Government, to support policy engagement efforts and programme activities across the country and the Horn of Africa region.
Ethiopian Universities: Hawassa University & Mekelle University We partner with Ethiopian universities as part of our programmatic efforts towards the creation of peaceful university communities. Currently, Sustained Dialogue processes have been put in place in Hawassa and Mekelle University in partnership with the EIP.
Hawassa University (HU) was first established in 1967 as the Awassa College of Agriculture. It was later promoted to university status in 2000 with its merger to the Wondogenet College of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Dilla College of Teachers’ Education and Health Sciences. Currently, HU hosts more than 32,000 students in and around the city of Hawassa (Sidama Region). Selected by the Ministry of Education as one of 8 Research Universities in Ethiopia, HU has several long-standing collaborations with national and international partners.
Mekelle University (MU) is located in the city of Mekelle (Tigray region) in Northern Ethiopia. It was established as an independent university from the merger of the Mekelle Business College and the Mekelle University College in 2000. MU is a research-focused institution pursuing excellence in research, teaching, and community engagement with a commitment to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, economic growth and social welfare of Ethiopian and international communities.
Our donors
Donors and organisations who have supported our work in Ethiopia over the past decades include: Church of Sweden, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the EU, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Swedish Mission Council, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Read more about LPI's donors on the funding & finance page.
Resources
More resources are available in the Publications & Reports page of our website and in our flagship publication: the Horn of Africa Bulletin.
Related articles & resources
Ethiopia - Addis Ababa
LPI’s regional programme and work in Ethiopia is administered from the office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Postal Address
P.O. Box 20002/1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Visiting Address
Bole Road, behind Dembel City Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Phone + 251 (0) 115 579049