CoST, the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, is one of the leading global non-profits improving transparency, participation and accountability in infrastructure to deliver quality infrastructure that improves lives and strengthens economies.
Ethiopia was one of the eight countries chosen to be part of CoST’s three-year pilot programme, which focused on how a multi-stakeholder approach could increase transparency and accountability in delivering infrastructure projects. As a result of this, the then commissioner of the Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (FEACC) kick-started discussion in Ethiopia around full CoST membership and a committee was formed to undertake preparations. Upon its acceptance, the commissioner of FEACC was appointed as CoST Champion and FEACC the host organisation
Overview
Prior to CoST: Public infrastructure in context
Corruption has been identified as one of the main issues affecting governance in Ethiopia. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2020, Ethiopia is ranked 94th globally with a score of 38, a five point improvement since 2012. Besides, in a study of countries’ level of transparency conducted by European Research Center for Anti-corruption and State Building (ERCAS) as shown on https://corruptionrisk.org/ Ethiopia scores 43% Transparency Index in 2024.
Infrastructure in Ethiopia is particularly susceptible to corruption and mismanagement for a number of reasons, including its highly technical nature, the huge project costs involved and lengthy procurement cycles.
CoST Ethiopia: How it all began
Ethiopia was one of the eight countries chosen to be part of CoST’s three-year pilot programme, which focused on how a multi-stakeholder approach could increase transparency and accountability in delivering infrastructure projects. As a result of this, the then commissioner of the Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (FEACC) kick-started discussion in Ethiopia around full CoST membership and a committee was formed to undertake preparations. Upon its acceptance, the commissioner of FEACC was appointed as CoST Champion and FEACC the host organization.
Procuring Entity Capacity Building
A report has been published that assess the requirements for mainstreaming proactive information disclosure by procuring entities in Ethiopia. This includes collating project and contract information from 9 construction projects.
Then, an independent consultant was deployed to further scrutinize a number of additional project items using the revised CoST disclosure standards.
In addition to its work on coordinating the independent scrutiny of public procurement, CoST Ethiopia has prepared and implemented two 5-Year Strategic Plans. Furthermore, it has trained a number of project engineers (PEs) on the basics of CoST and how to disclose information on the PPA website.
Governance
CoST Ethiopia enjoys strong and effective political support from its Champion, H.E. Samuel Urkato (PhD), Commissioner, Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
It is overseen by CoST Ethiopia’s National Multi-Stakeholder Group Executive Committee which comprises representatives from:
- Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission
- Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure
- Ministry of Plan and Development
- Ethiopian Construction Authority
- Federal Public Procurement and Property Authority
- Ethiopian Construction Contractors’ Association
- Ethiopian Consulting Engineers’ & Architects’ Association
- Ethiopian Association of Civil Engineers
- Confederation of Ethiopian Labor Unions
- Ethiopian Federal Bar Association
- Addis Ababa Science and Technology University
- Arba Minch University
Infrastructure Transparency Initiative Ethiopia (CoST Ethiopia)
Email: ethiopia@infrastructuretransparency.org
Phone: +251-111-000000
Address: Kirkos Sub City, Woreda 04, Kazanchis area, Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission Bldg., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Our Core features
Disclosure
CoST increases transparency by disclosing data on public infrastructure projects.
The disclosure process ensures that information about the purpose, scope, costs and execution of infrastructure projects is open and accessible to the public, and that it is disclosed in a timely manner.
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Assurance
CoST promotes accountability through the CoST assurance process – an independent review of the disclosed data by assurance teams based within CoST national programmes. The teams identify key issues of concern in relation to the items listed in the CoST IDS and put technical jargon into plain language.
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Multi-Stakeholder Group
CoST brings together stakeholder groups with different perspectives and backgrounds from across government, private sector and civil society. Through each national program’s Multi-Stakeholder Group, these entities can guide the delivery of CoST and pursue infrastructure transparency and accountability within a neutral forum.
Social Accountability
CoST works with social accountability stakeholders such as the media and civil society to promote the findings from its assurance process so that they can then put key issues into the public domain. In this way, civil society, the media and citizens can all be aware of issues and hold decision-makers to account.