Tewodros II reunified Northern Ethiopia from 1855, while his successor Yohannes IV embarked on a series of brutal military campaigns between 1880–1889 to conquer and annex the southern and eastern regions, namely western Oromo, Sidama, Gurage, Wolayta and other groups, leading largely to the current national borders.
The conquest involved mass killings, which would now be termed genocide, enslavement, land confiscation and forcible conversion to Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, motivated by a cultural contempt for what were considered inferior peoples.
[5] Following the dissolution of the Derg in 1991, by the TPLF, which ended the Ethiopian Civil War and established independence for Eritrea, Ethiopia formed a transitional government along federal lines which lasted until 1995.
The 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia was promulgated by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which enshrined a form of ethnic-based federalism, consisting of 11 ethno-linguistically defined regional states and 2 chartered cities.
This socioeconomic and partial political liberalization within a federalist system, combined with a return of considerable foreign investment led to significant economic growth, double-digit in his last 9 years until his sudden death in 2012.
Although administrative decentralization was introduced through Kebeles, in practice, these local organizations lacked real authority as they remained strictly controlled by the central military government.
The historical, cultural, and political contexts have collectively shaped Ethiopia’s public management system, influencing its governance structures, administrative efficiency, and policy decisions.
From imperial centralization to military rule and ethnic federalism, Ethiopia’s public sector evolved in response to external influences, internal conflicts, and socio-political dynamics, demonstrating how these factors continuously interacted to define the country’s governance framework.
The CSC handles human resources, regulatory compliance, institutional development, and public sector reforms, playing a key role in improving governance and service delivery in Ethiopia.
Overall, Ethiopia’s public sector is structured to balance national unity with regional diversity and is aimed at addressing the country’s socio-economic challenges through a combination of centralised policy-making and decentralised administration.
Ethiopia’s customs, religious practices, and ethnic identities present both opportunities and challenges in fostering ethical governance and conduct within the public sector.
Understanding the role of culture and tradition, the institutional framework, and the ongoing challenges is essential in assessing Ethiopia’s progress toward strengthening ethical practices and integrity.
However, this strong sense of loyalty can also lead to nepotism and favouritism, where familial or ethnic ties influence decision-making, sometimes at the expense of broader institutional ethical standards.
Storytelling serves as a primary method for passing down moral lessons across generations, with elders playing a key role in educating younger members about fairness, respect, and community responsibility.
With a population practicing diverse faiths, including Christianity, Islam, and indigenous religions, values such as honesty, accountability, and reconciliation are deeply embedded in society.
[57] While these variations may lead to disputes over resource allocation or political representation, they also offer opportunities for ethical enrichment by promoting respect for elders, communal responsibility, and integrity as foundational values.
Key legislation includes the Ethiopian Penal Code, which addresses corruption and abuse of power, and the Freedom of Mass Media and Access to Information Proclamation, which promotes transparency.
Reports also highlight mismanagement of aid and welfare relief during conflicts, exposing accountability gaps[62] [63] [64] A significant issue is the lack of comprehensive ethics training for public officials.
While collective values, oral traditions, and religious principles provide a strong ethical foundation, issues such as nepotism, ethnic divisions, and informal decision-making continue to pose challenges for upholding and maintaining standards within the Ethiopian public service.
Ethiopia’s institutional framework, including the FEACC and judiciary, provides mechanisms for fostering integrity, but political interference, resource limitations, and weak enforcement remain significant obstacles.
The Ethiopian government’s emphasis on performance management and accountability systems began in the early 1990s as part of a transformative agenda driven by political upheaval, institutional challenges, and strategic policy shifts.
Following the overthrow of the military regime in 1991, the new government prioritized restoring state capacity and restructuring public institutions to ensure political stability and stimulate economic growth.
[71] However, the implementation of ROPAS encountered challenges, including difficulties in identifying appropriate performance indicators, integrating institutional roles, and optimizing management and system capacities.
[70][71] BPR has been implemented at the federal, regional, and woreda government levels in almost all public institutions, with criteria focused on efficiency, including time, quantity, quality, and cost.
[74] Since 2008, the Ethiopian government has used the BSC, which replaced ROPAS, by incorporating individual performance goals aligned with the country’s GTP and organizational targets derived from indicators such as financial management, public satisfaction levels, bureaucratic process efficiency, and employee competence.
[71][73] For example, the implementation of BSC in the Ethiopian Financial Sector by the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation (EIC) and the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) helped make reward practices more objective, clarified strategic direction, improved communication of strategic objectives, and encouraged learning and continuous improvement However, BSC has not been systematically implemented in all government institutions at the federal, regional, and local levels due to the lack of enhanced basic pay, performance incentives, training, and career paths.
[71] The Party Wing focuses on building national consensus around the country’s development strategy, while the civil servants consist of five levels who discuss performance reports and resolve internal issues monthly.
Article 92 of the Constitution guarantees that ‘People have the right to full consultation and to the expression of views in the planning and implementations of environmental policies and projects that affect them directly’.
[86] 2005 onwards – Public Sector Reform Under regional constitutions, woreda (districts) are authorized to adopt and implement their own plans relating to social and economic development.
For example, rural woredas are often important in the successful implementation of central or regional policies, due to their close connection to communities and ability to mobilize local resources to support social and economic development.