Lawmakers Vote Human Rights Commission out of Election Observer Role

Jul 18 , 2020


[ssba-buttons]

Lawmakers have taken out the observer role of the Human Rights Commission in general elections in the newly approved revised establishment proclamation of the Commission. The Commission is instead obligated to give full focus only to issues related to human rights during the period of a general election. The establishing proclamation was given a green light in the presence of 290 members of the parliament with one abstention. Parliamentarians, during the presentation of the report by the Law, Justice & Democracy standing committee, enforced the change of the provision that granted the commissioner or the deputy commissioner to work part-time at the Commission. After the session, the approved proclamation compels the executives of the Commission to work full time. The revised proclamation has also restructured the nominations of the committee members of the Commission by adding new members from the National Election Board of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Academy of Science, civil society organisations, and another member to be elected by the joint agreement of opposition parties and given a seat in the House.


Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...