ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia is hosting close to a million refugees from 26 countries which makes it the second largest refugees hosting nation in Africa, said Refugees and Returnees Affairs Agency (ARRA).
Agency Deputy Director General Eyob Awoke said that Ethiopia continues to extend unreserved assistance to refugees in the Horn of Africa. The country is working on sustainable reintegration of returnees in partnership with international organizations and pertinent stakeholders, he added.
“Currently, the country is hosting refugees of 26 nationals. The majority of these refugees originates from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and sheltered in 27 refugee camps [hosting centers] across the country.”
As to him, the Agency is working in partnership with UNHCR and other stakeholders in maintaining its longstanding commitment to improve the life of refugees.
He further said that currently the Agency is working in partnership with the EU and other partners to ensure the provision of sustainable reintegration efforts of supporting various immigrants coming from different countries.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary to Europe, America, Asia and Multilateral Affairs Ambassador Mahlet Hailu said that sustainable reintegration of returnees must be comprehensive, holistic and needs-based. As one of the largest refugee hosting country and also a country of origin and transit of migrants, the Government of Ethiopia has undertaken measures among others, amending country’s national legislation to provide more integration opportunities for refugees and returnees, she added.
The Permanent Secretary further took note of the principle of burden and responsibility sharing through various mechanisms, including provision of financial assistance and resettlement opportunities in a concerted manner in individual, community and structural dimension to prevent re-migration.
For her part, Migration Section Team Leader, EU Delegation to Ethiopia Sabrina Bazzanella said that sustainable returnee reintegration is the right approach while talking about returnees’ reintegration.
“We must recognize that Ethiopia has made so concrete steps towards sustainable reintegration of returnees and refugees adoption,” she said.
The Ethiopian Herald April 16, 2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
