Ethiopia and International IDEA sign agreement for liaison office in Addis Ababa

International IDEA and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia signed a Host Government Agreement on 9 September 2009 to provide for the establishment of an IDEA liaison office in Ethiopia. The office will allow International IDEA to work closely with the African Union Commission which is based in Addis Ababa.

However, on signing the Agreement, International IDEA’s Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East, Mustaq Moorad, indicated that the office will also allow the Institute to engage with the Ethiopian Government in different fields of its expertise should the Ethiopian government so request.

The Agreement sets out the status of International IDEA’s presence in Ethiopia and confers on the organization and its staff (who are not Ethiopian nationals or permanent residents) diplomatic immunities and privileges.

International IDEA hopes to establish its office in Addis Ababa as soon as possible.