Ethiopia is a federal state with a civil law legal system combined with procedural laws principally inspired by the common law system. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Constitution, international treaties, proclamations, decrees, regulations, directives, and customary laws are sources of Ethiopian laws.  

The Constitution allows the adjudication of disputes relating to personal and family laws in accordance with religious or customary laws with the consent of the parties to the dispute and gives federal and regional legislatures the authority to enact laws to govern this. Accordingly, Sharia Courts hear family cases involving Muslims with the consent of the parties to the dispute.

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. Following the government’s recent initiation to liberalise key sectors of the economy and to partially or fully privatise state monopolies, the Ethiopian Communications Authority has recently issued the first private telecom license to Global Partnership for Ethiopia (Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC). The second Request for Proposal (RFP) for full-service telecommunications license (License B) is also launched on September 28, 2021. In addition, the Ministry of Finance launched an RFP to sell 40% of the equity share capital of Ethio Telecom on September 14, 2021.

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