Assessing infrastructure for managing ethics in the public service in Ethiopia: challenges and lessons for reformers

This article reports on the findings of an assessment of the state of ethics infrastructure in Ethiopia. It shows that ethics have become an integral part of civil service reform in Ethiopia. This is based on recognition by the government that reforms in the civil service may be undermined unless there are complementary, investigative and preventive measures against corruption and other unethical practices. Larbi highlights in the article that the assessment has revealed a useful exercise to inform both the content and process of reforms. It has thus provided information on institutional constraints and capacity gaps on which reformers need to focus. These include broadening and sustaining support and commitment beyond the political leadership; strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies; improving accountability mechanisms; improving human resource management and performance; putting in place workable codes of ethics; improving public service conditions within affordable limits; and creating favourable environment for civil society organisations to operate as countervailing forces for accountability by public officials.