The EU CSF III in partnership with CSSP2 and ACSO held a validation workshop on the mapping study of Civil Society Organizations on October 22, 2021, at the Inter Luxury Hotel in Addis Ababa. The study aimed to provide up-to-date, multi-dimensional information on Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations operating at the national and regional levels.

In his opening remark, from EU, Mr. Lope Gallego, Head of Section - Governance and Service Delivery, at the Eu Delegation, said, the European Union believes that an empowered civil society is a crucial component of any democratic system, as well as being an asset in itself. He added that to better understand the current status of CSO operations in the country at both national and regional levels, we have embarked upon the current mapping study. This will provide strategic guidance to all development partners in shaping their future cooperation with the sector, he said.

Ato Netsanet Demewoz, Country Director of the British Council in Ethiopia, said, the number and contribution of Civil Society Organizations in Ethiopia have increased over the years. He assured that development partners will continue to do their best to strengthen the capacity of CSOs and to expand the space for collaboration. Ato Jima Dilbo, Director General of ACSO, on his part said, the government has been working to create Civil Society Organizations Mapping Study Validation Workshop
a platform for the involvement of Civil Society Organizations in the country’s development, peace, democratization, and other activities.

Ms. Tinebeb Berhane, Vice President of the Ethiopian CSOs’ Council, described the study as a remarkable moment to provide a comparative analysis of the sector through time and to recommend the way forward. The study was undertaken for six months throughout the country and involved over 324 key interviewees from 263 institutions pertinent to the civil society sector.

The team of experts presented their findings during the workshop and the outputs provided all participants with a clearer picture of which CSOs and their networks, consortia, umbrella, and apex organizations are doing what and where, and their overall capacity and effectiveness in carrying out their operations. The recommendations have informed the way forward to achieving a more vibrant, relevant, and effective civil society sector in the country. After the presentation participants reviewed key recommendations.

The EU Civil Society Fund III, the Civil Society Support Programme (phase 2), and the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) contributed to the study. The validation workshop was attended by representatives from the EU Delegation in Ethiopia, the British Council, the UK FCDO, ASCO, the CSO Council, CSOs, and government organizations.