Ethiopia

Advocacy for Ethiopia

What’s Happening?

Ethiopia hosts just under a million refugees from neighboring countries. Most are confined to camps, though some live in urban areas like Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has passed several policies to better include refugees – most notably the 2019 Refugee Proclamation, which gives them freedom of movement, the right to work, access to public services, and the ability to open bank accounts. But deep cuts to global aid threaten the country’s ability to put these reforms into practice.

At the same time, needs inside Ethiopia are rising. Tensions remain high across the country, and in Tigray there is a real risk of renewed conflict. This would be devastating for communities still struggling after the war that ended in 2022. People displaced within Ethiopia need support to safely return home, as promised in the Pretoria Agreement, and to rebuild their lives.

What Must Be Done?

The government of Ethiopia should make it easier for refugees to get work and business permits.  Ethiopia also needs to protect the rights of internally displaced people and uphold the commitments in the Pretoria Agreement.