Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO)

ACSO is the national body that registers, supports and oversees civil society organisations in Ethiopia, so that freedom of association can be fully exercised. It supervises CSOs to keep them within their objectives and the law, helps them build capacity and governance, promotes philanthropy and volunteering, supports self-regulation and administers the Civil Society Fund.

Local CSOs apply with the registration form and signed documents: founding minutes with founders' details, IDs, name and logo, objectives and sector, region of operation, rules and address. Foreign NGOs also submit an authenticated home-country registration, a resolution to operate in Ethiopia, the representative's delegation, a recommendation letter and a two-year action plan. ACSO reviews annual activity and audit reports, carries out field and desk monitoring, inspections, complaint investigations and project evaluations, and issues support letters for bank accounts, work permits, duty-free imports and VAT refunds. CSOs can self-regulate through the Civil Society Council; regional bodies also register CSOs.