Regional Reports - the European External Action Service

o Recognition by the City Administration: The City Administration has indicated food
security as one of the major problems, especially at rural level and is cooperating with
NSA. Lessons learned from ECC-SDOCH experience are being incorporated in the new
Five-year plan.
3.2. Qualitative Information on NSA Non- Sectoral Contributions
o Governance and Urban Governance:
o Participation: ACORD, CARE ETHIOPIA
o Activities undertaken: creation of city forum and promotion of a resource centre,
awareness creation and strengthening CBOs capacity, sectoral dialogue with the
Government.
o Recognition by the City Administration: The City Administration has established an
IDP representative forum and is starting an ongoing sectoral cooperation with NSA.
Human Rights
o Participation: EHRCO
o Activities undertaken: Follow-up of HR situation, Election Observation, Monitoring of
Universal Declaration on Human Rights and International HR Covenants, Training and
Awareness Raising of Public Official from the Judiciary and Law Enforcement Bodies
(Police), advocacy on HR and constitutional rights, legal counsel on HR,
o Recognition by Public Bodies: A positive interaction has been created to the delivery of
training and advocacy activities and sometimes EHRCO is requested to give advice on
cases which are sensitive in relation with HR.
14. The role of the Private Sector.
The Private Sector deserves a specific attention in the situation of Dire Dawa. In this sector
two organisations are operating the Dire Dawa Chamber of Commerce and the Dire Dawa
Employers’ Federation.
The former gathers mostly small and medium enterprises, the latter gathers mostly bigger
enterprises in the town.
The strategies and mandate of the two organisations are rather different. While the Employers
Federation action is essentially based on representation and tripartite activities, the Chamber
of Commerce focus on a package of services provided to the members of the four Sector
Associations. This package includes administrative services (e.g. bookkeeping), marketing
service (analysis of opportunities and linkage with distribution chains), training, foreign trade
information etc.)
The Employers’ Federations refer about a positive cooperation with the local government and
of a regular consultation for the decision-making related to economic issues, while the CoC
doesn’t stress the importance of the cooperation with the Government and the engagement in
the policy dialogue.
Both organisations show an initial level of institutionalisation and they play a traditional role
in providing services and representation for their constituencies but their role in policy and
social dialogue appear to be at an initial level.
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