Overall, the Department of Government Law and Justice Services has been successful in carrying out its duties and responsibilities in the first 6 months of the 2016 fiscal year. The department is organized into 13 work units to ensure efficient operation. The performance of the sector’s 2015 fiscal year plan was reviewed and a 2016 plan preparation committee was formed. The plan was successfully implemented through discussions with employees.

The Directorate General of Administration of Civil Justice has been actively involved in various civil proceedings, giving decisions on contested cases and resolving disputes. Out of 157 directly contested cases, a decision was given in 33 cases and the Attorney General was satisfied in 31 cases. One record was discontinued at the plaintiff’s request, resulting in a performance rate of 93.94% and cost savings of 32,368,571.29 Birr. The department also successfully defended a $10.6 million lawsuit in the United States.

In terms of appeal records, 39 records were argued, with 17 filed by the prosecutor as the appellant and 22 filed as the respondent. Out of the files with appeal, 05 received a decision, four prosecutors were satisfied, and one file was rejected. The overall appeal performance was recorded as 85.45%.

The Directorate General also monitored 40 judicial execution records within six months, with a total amount of judgment execution of 47,976,018.45 Birr, 8,553,239.59 USD, and 371,724,000 Euro. Legal support was provided to 30 citizens for the execution of judgments, resulting in a 100% execution rate in these cases. Additionally, 33 records were negotiated, resulting in savings of 6.5 million dollars and 188,505,934.12 Birr through negotiated agreements.

The department has also been involved in 10 cases of arbitration and investment disputes, with 7 records having a dispute amount of more than 792,413,143.71 US dollars. Legal advice and free legal assistance services were provided to 741 individuals and government institutions, with all questions answered and a performance rate of 100%.

The Directorate General of Drafting and Compilation of Legal Studies has undertaken various functions, including the preparation of the national integrated crime prevention strategy implementation document. A discussion forum was prepared for senior leaders to review and discuss the document. Efforts have also been made to register and make accessible 100% of the guidelines prepared by administrative institutions, with 9 guidelines recorded and made available on the website in the first 6 months.

The department has made significant progress in the preparation of various laws and regulations, including the Financial Services Act, House Rent Bill, Religious Freedom Protection and Management Bill, and more. Other institutions have also been supported in drafting laws and regulations, such as the Civil Service Commission, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, and Investment Commission.

In addition to drafting legislation, efforts have been made in the preparation of a transitional justice policy. Legal research has also been conducted on various topics, including the legal framework and practice of religion-state relations. A manual dealing with crimes related to the provision of medical services has been prepared and distributed to relevant institutions.

Efforts have also been made to involve the public in the law drafting process, with guidelines being prepared for public participation. Training has been provided to prosecutors on these guidelines.

Overall, the department has achieved a 100% work performance in the examination and correction of draft laws and has made significant progress in various areas of law and justice services.