Democracy and Governance Policy and Studies Sector
The Democracy and Good Governance Policy Study Sector is amongst the four sectors of the Ethiopian Policy Study Institute (PSI); which was established in 2018 by Proclamation No. 1097/2018. The sector was founded after the merging of two state-owned think tanks in Ethiopia, Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI) and Policy Study and Research Centre (PSRC). Until that time, several policy studies and researches related to good governance, federalism, nation building, public participations and public capacity building policy were conducted that served to inform the Ethiopian government in range of policy issues by Governance and Capacity Building research Department of PSRC since its established in 2014. Currently, the sector has three research centers; namely, the Institutional Development and Governance (IDG) Policy Study Center; Democracy and Rule of Law (DRC) Policy Study Center; and, Federalism Policy Study Center.
Following scientific research procedures, the Democracy and Good Governance Policy Study Sector conduct mainly the following activities in the areas of institutional development, rule of law, governance and federal studies;
Following scientific research procedures, the Democracy and Good Governance Policy Study Sector conduct mainly the following activities in the areas of institutional development, rule of law, governance and federal studies;
- produce the highest quality and fact-based policy research and study works that enlighten; among others, the policymakers, focusing on bridging policy gaps and assessing implementation problems;
- provide knowledge based policy recommendations including initiating new proposals, and preparing policy and strategy documents;
- analyze home grown practices and the best practices of foreign countries to the context of Ethiopia on the area of institutional development, democracy and good governance;
- disseminate the research result to serve as an input for policy makers, key research partners and other stakeholders for knowledge dissemination and exchange;
- offer quality training and consultancy services to domestic and international communities and
- Creating conducive fora for discussing contemporary issues amid various key stakeholders.
Study Centres
Federalism and Diversity Management Policy and Studies Centre
Centre Coordinator
The main objective of the Federalism Policy Study Center is to conduct scientific study on the existing or anticipated challenges of to the Ethiopian federal system. In-depth investigation and analysis will be conducted on identified challenges of the federal system so as to give recommendation, policy brief or policy options to the policy makers to address the difficulties of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The research thematic areas of the center are: inter-regional boundary disputes, conflicts over resources between regions, displacement vs socioeconomic crisis, the quest for identity, the quest for self-administration, ethnicization of conflicts, constitutional gaps vs the federal system, controversial provisions of the FDRE constitutions, and others related with Ethiopian federalism.
Major Accomplishment: Two researches issues are in progress:
1. The Growing Ethnicization of Conflicts as a Threat to the Ethiopian Federalism: Politically Induced Displacement and the Plea for Justice
2. The Quest for FDRE Constitution Amendment and Existing Realities
Major Accomplishment: Two researches issues are in progress:
1. The Growing Ethnicization of Conflicts as a Threat to the Ethiopian Federalism: Politically Induced Displacement and the Plea for Justice
2. The Quest for FDRE Constitution Amendment and Existing Realities
Democracy and the Rule of Law Policy Research and Studies Centre
Centre Coordinator
Democracy and Rule of law Policy Studies Center aims to convey an independent and high quality studies and researches that enlighten; among others, the policymakers. Moreover, it targets to urge knowledge based suggestions including initiating new proposals, disseminating its findings, adopting the best practices of foreign countries to the context of Ethiopia on the area of democracy and rule of law. Furthermore, albeit its primary purpose is issues that are directly related with Ethiopia and its citizens, the Center also aims to provide high quality consultancy service (where appropriate) to domestic and international communities.
The Center thematic coverage extends, but is not limited to the following main areas: Institutions of Democracy; Justice and Law Enforcement; Socio-economic Development; Security and Stability; Governance and Democratization; Human Rights and Protection Mechanisms; and, Political- economy.
Research Projects
Currently the Center is conducting two research projects; namely,
1) Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities for the Advancement of Rule of Law in the FDRE
2) The Role of Institutions of Democracy in the Democratization Process of FDRE: Trends, Challenges and Prospects
The Center thematic coverage extends, but is not limited to the following main areas: Institutions of Democracy; Justice and Law Enforcement; Socio-economic Development; Security and Stability; Governance and Democratization; Human Rights and Protection Mechanisms; and, Political- economy.
Research Projects
Currently the Center is conducting two research projects; namely,
1) Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities for the Advancement of Rule of Law in the FDRE
2) The Role of Institutions of Democracy in the Democratization Process of FDRE: Trends, Challenges and Prospects
Institutional Development and Governance Policy and Studies Centre
Centre Coordinator
Even though Ethiopia has gone a great length in terms of managing diversity since 1991, inter-ethnic conflicts and other violent conflicts which are directly or otherwise caused by mismanagement of diversity still haunt the country. This is raising several questions including: why is, three decades after the formation of the Ethiopian federation, identity a contentious issue? Is this because the institutional design that is adopted for managing the ethno-national diversity of the Ethiopian people is defective which needs improvement? What kind of improvement does it require- a complete overhaul or minor fixing? How did other states with multi-ethnic and multi-cultural communities dealt with diversity? What lesson can Ethiopia draw from their success and failures? These and other related question need research-based answers for policy. The Centre for Federalism Studies seeks to undertake such studies with a view to availing research-based and evidence-based solutions to decision makers and the public. For the last three years, PSI had a strategic plan that had been only inherited from EDRI to be used from 2008 to 2012 EFY.