UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih has praised Ethiopia’s progressive approach to refugee protection and urged greater international support for host countries implementing long-term solutions.
Speaking during a visit to Ura refugee settlement on World Refugee Day, Salih highlighted Ethiopia’s inclusive policies that allow refugees to rebuild their lives alongside host communities.
“Ethiopia’s approach shows what is possible when refugees are given the chance to live, learn, and work side by side with their hosts,” Salih said. “But greater support is needed for inclusive policies that enable refugees to rebuild their lives.”
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries, with more than 1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers. This includes over 45,000 refugees who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan since April 2023.
Ura settlement, in the northwestern Benishangul Gumuz region, hosts more than 14,500 Sudanese refugees. They live alongside the local community and have access to the same services, including schools and health care.
At Ura, Salih visited a primary school where Sudanese and Ethiopian children learn side by side. He also met Sudanese refugee entrepreneurs who have opened businesses to support their families and contribute to the local economy.
Two days earlier in Addis Ababa, the High Commissioner joined government ministers and officials to launch Ethiopia’s _Makatet Roadmap_. The framework aims to shift from solely humanitarian relief to long-term development by transforming traditional camps into self-reliant urban settlements integrated with national service delivery systems.
The roadmap is part of Ethiopia’s broader commitment to refugee inclusion under its implementation of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.
Salih said the approach in Ura and the new national roadmap demonstrate how host countries can move beyond emergency care toward durable solutions. He called on donors and partners to match Ethiopia’s efforts with sustained financial and technical support.
World Refugee Day is marked annually on June 20 to honour the strength and resilience of people forced to flee.
Source: Africa News
