Partnership and resource mobilization
Goal 5 of our Strategic Plan: improve collaboration and resource mobilization. We work with electoral bodies, national institutions and peers across Africa and beyond, and we keep diversifying the partners who fund civil society’s role in Ethiopian elections.
Why it matters
Stronger together
Credible elections need many actors working together. CECOE engages NEBE, government institutions, political parties and the media throughout the electoral cycle, and represents its members with partners and donors.
We learn from and contribute to networks of citizen observers in the region and around the world, and we work to diversify our resource base so that civil society’s role in elections is sustainable.
How we work
- 1Engage institutions
Regular work with NEBE on accreditation, observer registration and early warning, plus ACSO, the Human Rights Commission and the Political Parties Joint Council.
- 2Learn with peers
Membership of E-HORN, AfEONet and GNDEM, and exchange visits to Malawi, Kenya, Zambia and Nigeria.
- 3Promote CECOE
Public statements, reports and newsletters, the I Vote and Niqu Zega channels and a Media Desk for journalists.
- 4Diversify resources
Partnerships with the EU, Ireland, France, the UK, AFD and GIZ, with technical cooperation from NDI and UNDP.
Programmes under goal 5
Objectives 5.1 to 5.3 of our Strategic Plan, and the partnerships that deliver them.
Explore and expand collaboration with Election Management Bodies, International Electoral Associations and Electoral Support Organizations.
Promote CECOE.
Diversify the resource base.
NationalObjective 5.1
Electoral and national institutions
NEBE for accreditation, digital observer registration and the early warning system, plus ACSO, the CSO Council, the Human Rights Commission, the Political Parties Joint Council, the Ministry of Peace and the National Dialogue Commission.
Regional and globalObjective 5.1
Observer networks
Member of E-HORN, the East and Horn of Africa network of 18 organizations in eight countries, AfEONet and GNDEM, the global network of 251 domestic monitoring groups in 89 countries.
2025–2026Objective 5.1
Study and exchange missions
Peer learning with election bodies and citizen observers abroad: Malawi (NICE and the Malawi Electoral Commission, with GIZ and NEBE), Kenya (ELOG, IEBC and women parliamentarians) and Zambia (NDI and CCMG).
CommunicationObjective 5.2
Promoting CECOE
Public statements and reports in Amharic and English, the I Vote and Niqu Zega channels, the Ye’esua Dimts radio programme, a Media Desk for journalists and a library of reports and policy briefs.
2026Objective 5.1 · 5.2
Working with the media
Before the 7th General Election, CECOE trained journalists with a commissioned Election Reporting Manual and opened a Media Desk. Its election-day findings were carried by EBC, Fana, ENA, Amhara Media Corporation, Addis Maleda, Ethiopia Insider, Tikvah Ethiopia and many others.
Current partnersObjective 5.3
A diversified resource base
Our current programmes are supported by the European Union (through ECES and with NIMD), Ireland, France (Embassy and CFEE), the UK’s FCDO, AFD and GIZ, with technical cooperation from NDI and UNDP. Since 2019 CECOE has also worked with IRI and the Embassy of Denmark.