ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia and UNHCR jointly launched a two year National Refugee Response Plan aiming at ensuring the coherence and alignment of all planned interventions and to harness the transformational agenda of the Global Compact on Refugees.
During the launching ceremony yesterday here in Addis Ababa, Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affaires (ARRA) Deputy Director General Addisu Kebenessa stated that the two year National Refugee Response Plan aims to improve the coordination of stakeholders for the effective protection of refugees.
The plan is launched by Ethiopia and UNHCR with 57 development and donor partners to enhance stable humanitarian financing and to support refugees’ self-reliance.
Addisu said that Ethiopia is hosting nearly one million refugees and Ethiopian government is advocating for self-reliance of refugees by revising its refugee law in addition to stable humanitarian aid.
He added that the two year plan aims at enhancing both stable humanitarian financing and to facilitate Ethiopia’s development operations for refugees and host communities.
UNHCR Country Representative, Ann Encontre on her part stated that at the start of 2020 Ethiopia has hosted over 735 thousand refugees from 26 nations in 26 refugee camps across six regional states were forced to flee insecurity, political instability, military conscription, conflict and famine in their countries of origin.
She added that near over 96,700 refugees have arrived in the year 2019 and this indicates the number of refugees is increasing from year to year which is expected to grow to 752 thousand at the end of 2020.
The combined financial requirement to assist this population is 658 million Dollars for both humanitarian and development financing which needs strong intervention, cooperation and integration of development partners.
She added that Ethiopia has revised its refugee law which incorporates the key principles of UN and AU conventions which provide wider rights like reside out of camps, access for social and financial services, job opportunities and registration of their vital events.
According to her the two year refugee response plan aims on smooth and stable humanitarian financing plus supporting Ethiopia’s effort of job creation and related development operations for self-reliance of refugees and to harness the transformational agenda of GCR.
She added that Ethiopia’s Country Refugee Response Plan outlines the collective response of 57 humanitarian and development agencies over the next two years in support of all registered refugees in the country.
Addisu on his part stated that starting from this New Year, Ethiopia will implement the promises incorporated in the new refugee law.
The Ethiopian Herald Jan 25, 2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
