The Project, Promoting a Culture of Good Governance through Values and Outcome-Based Ethics in Ethiopia was a 2.5 year project undertaken by the Foundation for International Training (FIT), through a partnership with the Ethiopian Civil Service College (ECSC). Funding support for the Project was provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Canada Corps fund aimed at supporting Canadian civil society and private-sector projects that promote and facilitate innovative approaches to strengthening good governance practices in the developing world.
The Project was developed in response to the pressing need of the ECSC to deliver training in the areas of good governance and ethics to support the Government of Ethiopia’s Public Sector Capacity Building Program (PSCAP). Together, FIT and ECSC developed gender-sensitive courses for civil servants, students and faculty. As well, a Code of Ethics was developed through a participatory process using an ethical climate survey to identify core values for the College. Exchange of expertise from Canada and ither African nations was promoted through the creation of a seminar series on issues related to ethics, anti-corruption and the rule of law.
The theme of governance was addressed at a fundamental level in this Project by creating an enabling environment within the civil service through the establishment of a locally driven and owned outcome-based ethics system. Through the development of courses targeting working and future civil servants, FIT and ECSC promoted a concept of good governance emphasizing basic principles of ethics, including: responsiveness; legality; predictability; accountability; transparency; personal integrity; honesty; respect; and strategic vision.