More and more governments and international actors are promoting the introduction and creation of specialized entities to fight corruption. The question then becomes: what makes an effective anti-corruption authority? The aim of this review is to analyze the effectiveness of the Federal Ethics Anti-corruption Commission (FEACC) of Ethiopia based on questionnaires and in-depth interviews conducted with the FEACC‘s leadership and staff and other pertinent parties. The effectiveness of the FEACC is assessed using internal and external factors that affect its functions. The results of the study show that the FEACC has made notable progress since its establishment in 2001. In particular, it has carried out several important initiatives aimed at enhancing the Commission‘s effectiveness in the fight against corruption and has undergone a massive reengineering program to establish itself as an independent anti-corruption agency, which is the first of its kind in the country‘s history. In addition, high-level government commitment has resulted in consistent budgetary support. However, despite positive developments and achievements, the Commission is under-staffed and suffers from a lack of resources needed to carry out its mandate. Currently, human capacity and resource constraints are the most serious challenges facing the Commission. Furthermore, the relationship between the FEACC and civil society organizations is limited, and the FEACC needs to make increased efforts to garner greater public support and trust as the public‘s confidence in the Commission is not very high. Nevertheless, it is clear that the FEACC has made notable strides in improving the effectiveness of its operations and has the potential to become an effective anti-corruption authority. Yet in order to be fully effective, it is essential that the Commission enhance its staff capabilities related to its main anti-corruption functions.