Regional Reports - the European External Action Service

2. Major highlights of current findings
� There is a strong dynamism taking place in the NSA sector of Oromia with a growing trend
in number, typology and resources that NSA mobilize;
� Apart from a large number of INGO, FBO and NNGOs, NSA typology in ONRS also
includes CSO such as MBO, CBO, economic interest groups like cooperatives, credit and
saving institutions; professional associations, labour unions and private sector
organizations;
� In terms of membership and the resources mobilized, the NGO sector is the largest NSA
typology that reaches over 40 million beneficiaries across the region;
� While the NNGO, INGO and FBO are the three NGO typologies with total number of 156,
53 and 33 respectively, the INGO is the largest in terms of the resources mobilized as well
as total beneficiaries of on-going project activities;
� On matters related to operational issues, relation between Government and NSA sector is in
good condition. Particularly NGOs and sector offices have good cooperation and
collaboration and hence implement projects based on the regional priorities and the sectoral
development policy as set by the PASDEP.
� NGOs undertake project activities according to the guideline that was developed and
became effective a couple of years ago. The guideline was developed taking into account
the diversity and number of NGOs operational in the region, the disparity among zone in
the administrative costs of NGO projects and also the existing human resource capacity of
the regional administration at different levels;
� On the basis of the existing NGO guideline, the share of administrative costs in the total
budget of NGO projects could be up to 20 percent depending on the location and type of
activities involved. The guideline articles include provisions for the delegation of authority
regarding the signatory power for project agreements at different levels of administrative
organs. Accordingly, the BoFED head has the authority to sign agreements for NGO
projects worth a value of up to Birr 5 million while the zone administration is authorized
for project budget not exceeding Birr 2 million. In this guideline, signatory authority is
delegated to zone administration because of the existing woreda level human resource
capacity limitations.
� At the woreda level however, relations between Government especially town municipalities
and the NSA sector appear to be looser with less cooperation and collaboration. The case of
Chiro town in W/Hararghe zone is an example of such a loose relation.
� Despite the high urban poverty and low NSA participation, the relation between
municipality and the existing CBO like Iddirs is very loose. It is only with the capacity
building support of Pro-pride, a local NGO, that the two Iddirs namely Kebele 01 and
Wondimamachoch were able to initiate institution building and participated in the provision
of support and care for OVC in the town. Nevertheless, their activities did not get the
recognition of municipal and woreda officials.
� The two Iddirs of Chiro are exemplary of CBO in that they were able to raise awareness of
community and to contribute (by raising monthly payment of membership fee as a top-up)
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