By: Wegayehu Muluneh
Ethiopia has a long and commendable history of providing refuge to those fleeing conflict, persecution, and natural disasters. Despite its own developmental challenges, the country has consistently maintained an open-door policy, hosting one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. This enduring commitment to humanitarian principles underscores Ethiopia's crucial role in regional stability and its unwavering dedication to protecting vulnerable populations.
For decades, Ethiopia has been a sanctuary for refugees from neighboring countries, including South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. The country's refugee camps, primarily located in the Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, Somali, and Tigray regions, provide shelter and basic necessities to hundreds of thousands of individuals. Ethiopia's hospitality extends beyond mere accommodation; the government has made efforts to integrate refugees into local communities, providing access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities.
While Ethiopia's generosity is commendable, the responsibility of hosting such a large refugee population places a significant strain on the country's resources. The influx of refugees can put pressure on local infrastructure, public services, and the environment. Moreover, the presence of refugees can sometimes create tensions within host communities, particularly in areas where resources are already scarce.
The international community has a moral and practical obligation to support Ethiopia in its efforts to host refugees. This support should encompass financial assistance, technical expertise, and resettlement opportunities. Increased funding is needed to ensure that refugees have access to adequate food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education.
Technical assistance can help Ethiopia develop sustainable solutions for refugee management, while resettlement programs can offer a durable solution for some of the most vulnerable refugees.
In a recent demonstration of international solidarity, Russia provided a significant contribution of wheat to the World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution to refugees in Ethiopia. This timely assistance serves as a benchmark for other nations to emulate. By providing essential food supplies, Russia has helped to alleviate the immediate needs of refugees and has shown a concrete commitment to burden-sharing.
At a recent hand-over ceremony conducted at the UN WFP logistic and distribution center in Adama the Ambassador of Russia Evgeny Terekhin cherished Ethiopia for its care for refugees. He stressed that the international community has a moral obligation to support Ethiopia in its efforts to provide refugees with necessary facilities.
The Russian Federation once again demonstrated its solidarity with Ethiopia at a recent ceremony of handing over 16 000 quintals of grain aid to the World Food Programme (WFP) which was designated for the refugees in Gambela. While stating that Russia will continue to provide such assistance to refugees in cooperation with international organizations, speaking to EBC World English service the Ambassador called upon the international community to continue support Ethiopia's efforts to resolve problems of supplying basic necessities to hundreds of thousands of individuals that for different reasons left their homeland and sought refuge in the country by providing financial and material assistance, as well as technical expertise and resettlement opportunities.
The Ambassador expressed his confidence that increased funding was very necessary to provide the needy people with access to adequate food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education. It is obvious that only by united action of international community it will be possible to save many lifes of those who needs our urgent assistance, the Ambassador stressed.
The challenges of forced displacement require a global response based on the principles of shared responsibility and international cooperation. While Ethiopia has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to hosting refugees, it cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. The international community must step up its efforts to provide sustained and predictable support to Ethiopia and other refugee-hosting countries.
Ethiopia's role in hosting refugees is a testament to its humanitarian spirit and its commitment to regional stability. However, the country's generosity should not be taken for granted. The international community must recognize the immense sacrifices that Ethiopia has made and must provide the necessary support to ensure that it can continue to fulfill its humanitarian obligations. The recent contribution from Russia is a welcome example of international solidarity, and it is hoped that other nations will follow suit.