Practice Area
NGO & Civil Society Law
The Civil Society Organizations Proclamation No. 1113/2019 opened real space for NGOs in Ethiopia — for organisations that register properly and report on time. We keep them on side of both.
We advise local charities, professional associations and international NGOs on the full regulatory relationship with the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) — from first registration through annual reporting, and through the difficult moments: audits, board conflicts and, when necessary, orderly dissolution.
How we help
- Registration of local CSOs, charitable committees and foreign organisation branch offices
- Constitutions, bylaws and board governance frameworks that satisfy ACSO scrutiny
- Annual activity and audit report filings, and responses to ACSO inquiries
- Employment contracts and labour compliance for NGO staff, national and expatriate
- Tax treatment of grants, income-generating activities and duty-free imports
- Project agreements with government bureaus and implementation partners
Income-generating activities, done lawfully
The 2019 Proclamation lets CSOs run businesses to fund their mission — within limits, and with tax consequences the sector often underestimates. We structure these activities so the funding helps the mission instead of endangering the registration.
Who we act for
Ethiopian charities and associations, international NGOs opening or operating country offices, faith-based organisations, and donors doing legal due diligence on Ethiopian partners.