UNHCR Ethiopia: Sustainable Solutions Information Sheet (June 2018) – Ethiopia

As of June 30, 2018, Ethiopia hosts 916,678 refugees and asylum seekers within its borders, of whom more than 22,000 arrived in the first quarter of 2018. [19659002] Ethiopian Government committed to addressing refugee concerns Resettlement remains the main durable solution for refugees in Ethiopia, but limited quota means that only 4,240 refugees will be referred to resettlement countries in the country. country. 2018.

HIGHLIGHTS

• UNHCR badists the Government of Ethiopia in fulfilling its international obligations, realizing the basic objectives of the organization to provide international protection to refugees and others people of concern and to seek durable solutions. The three traditional durable solutions are complementary and are pursued together:

o Voluntary repatriation, in which refugees return safely and with dignity to their country of origin and protect themselves from national protection;

o Resettlement: selected and transferred from the country of refuge to a third State that has agreed to admit them as refugees with permanent resident status; and

o Local integration, in which refugees integrate them legally, economically and socially in the host country, benefiting from the national protection of the host government.

• UNHCR and its partners support livelihood programs for refugees to reduce their vulnerability. dependence on humanitarian aid. Refugees who actively support themselves are better equipped to meet the challenges of one of the durable solutions. UNHCR recognizes the stress that refugee presence can place on already impoverished host communities and works closely with development actors and regional governments to mitigate the impact. UNHCR advocates for complementarity of services for refugees and host communities and ensures that refugees are included in their intervention and development plans, thus promoting peaceful coexistence

• family reunification and other humanitarian migration programs, such as private sponsorship, studies and employment opportunities. UNHCR in Ethiopia continues to issue registration documents to refugees and provides advice on how to handle family reunification cases. More specifically, UNHCR directly helps unregistered refugee children to access the services and documentation needed to find their relatives abroad. UNHCR Ethiopia also participates in the issuance of Convention travel documents, which allow refugees to make international travel for employment, education and to seek medical treatment unavailable in Ethiopia.

• UNHCR initiated this project with two faith-based organizations, Caritas Italiana and Sant 'Egidio Community, through which refugees with family ties in Italy as well as those with protection and medical care were transferred to l & # 39; Italy. Vulnerabilities are able to find a lasting solution. To date, more than 200 refugees have left for a new life in Italy.