The
MigrantIOM Special Liaison Office, Addis Ababa Quarterly Newsletter Volume 20 Issue 6 October l 2018
MORE SUPPORT VITAL FOR 970,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE IN ETHIOPIA’S GEDEO AND WEST GUJI ZONE Inside
IOM Director General Meets with IOM, African Union and Partners Best Performing Community Ethiopian Prime Minister, Chairperson Commit to Enhancing Labour Mobility in Conversation Facilitators Awarded of African Union Commission Africa with USD 9 Million Swedish Grant in Ethiopia
A Force for Good: The Global Compact IOM Launches USD 22.2M Appeal for Peer Education and Life Skills Aims to Make Migration Safer Gedeo, West Guji Displacement Crisis Training provided to Youth Centers in Ethiopia and Government Bureaus in Ethiopia
www.ethiopia.iom.int twitter.com/IOMEthiopia facebook.com/iomsloet News
IOM DIRECTOR GENERAL MEETS WITH ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER, CHAIRPERSON OF AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
Addis baba- Ethiopia October 2018, respectively. with a female president following the recent appointment of H.E. 31 October 2018 In his meeting with H.E. Dr. Abiy Sahle-Work Zewde on 25 October The Director General of the UN Ahmed at the National Palace, the 2018. Migration Agency (IOM), H.E. IOM Director General congratulated António Vitorino, met with the the Prime Minister on his robust For his part, Prime Minister Dr. Prime Minister of the Federal reform agenda, for making peace Ahmed expressed appreciation for Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with Eritrea and advancing women’s the contribution of IOM in Ethiopia H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, and with H.E. leadership in politics. Ethiopia’s in response to the recent spate of Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson newly constituted cabinet comprises displacements in the south-west of the African Union Commission 50 per cent women and stands out of the country, and in enhancing (AUC) in Addis Ababa on 27 and 28 as the only country on the continent capacities for effective migration IOM Editorial UN Migration The IOM Mission IOM SLO Addis Communication Group Editor/Designer: Alemayehu Seifeselassie IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As the International Organization for Migration leading international organization for migration, IOM acts Special Liaison Office (SLO) in Addis Ababa with partners in the international community to: P.O. Box 25283 Code 1000 Addis Ababa • Assist in meeting the growing operational challenges Tel +251 11 557 1707/1802 Fax +251 11 557 1884 of migration management Email: [email protected] • Advance understanding of migration issues • Encourage social and economic development www.iom.int www.ethiopia.iom.int twitter.com/IOMEthiopia facebook.com/iomsloet
2| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 News governance in Ethiopia. He further expressed the need for support in the area of job creation for the youth – a pressing priority of his government. The IOM Director General subsequently met with the African Union Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, at the African Union headquarters, along with commissioners Amira El Fadil Mohammed and Minata Cessouma Samate. The meeting covered a broad range of areas of ongoing cooperation between the AUC and IOM, discussed potential additional areas for partnership going forward, and went on to underline the importance of AU leadership on African migration challenges.
IOM, AFRICAN UNION AND PARTNERS COMMIT TO ENHANCE LABOUR MOBILITY IN AFRICA WITH SWEDISH GRANT
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia 13 July 2018 IOM, on behalf of the African Union Commission and the International Labour Organization signed a USD 9 million grant with Swedish International Development Agency, SIDA, which will go towards labour migration policy development, capacity-building for the African Union Commission, labour institutions and RECs, skills development and skills mobility, and overall labour migration governance. The grant, which will support the implementation of the Joint Programme on Priority Implementation Actions on the AU-ILO-IOM-ECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance Maureen Achieng (l), IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission and Representative to for Development in Africa (Priority AUC, IGAD & UNECA with Sweden’s ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, JLMP), was signed during the Torbjörn Pettersson. Photo: IOM opening ceremony of the Symposium to Foster Labour Mobility within and rule of law and the involvement of Sweden would like to announce that from Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. key stakeholders across government, it will finance an initial phase of three The symposium focused on the legislatures, social partners and years JLMP project with a total of USD effective governance and regulation migrants, international organizations, 9 million,” said Torbjorn Pettersson, of labour migration and mobility in NGOs and civil society organizations. the Swedish Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti. “In addition, Sweden is Africa. The event took into account “In connection to this symposium,
|3 News
also providing support to the AU via partners, as well as to those defined economic integration of IOM to retain the existing capacity of in AU regional policy instruments, migrants, effective labour and AU in terms of technical assistance,” the programme focuses on critical social protection mechanisms, Ambassador Pettersson added. areas for facilitating free movement and sustainable labour market of workers as a crucial means of systems. Maureen Achieng, IOM Ethiopia advancing regional integration and Chief of Mission and Representative The program will target the East development in Africa. Long-term, to the AU/UNECA/IGAD, commended African Community (EAC), Southern the implementation of the JLMP is the African Union on its leadership Africa Development Cooperation expected to: on labour migration issues in Africa (SADC) and the Economic Community and emphasized the importance • extend dignified work and social of West African States (ECOWAS). It of partnership and a whole society protection to migrant workers will also focus on migrant workers, approach in migration management. and their families migrant associations, diaspora She thanked the AUC and associations and labour market • strengthen regional integration International Labour Organization institutions. and inclusive development (ILO) for entrusting IOM with a The Initiative is funded by the leadership role in the management • encourage employment, Swedish International Development of the grant. productivity, productive Agency (SIDA). investment and business success Responding to the needs explicitly identified by RECs and social • enable better social and
PEER EDUCATION AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING PROVIDED TO YOUTH CENTERS AND GOVERNMENT BUREAUS IN ETHIOPIA
Addis baba- Ethiopia regular migration. of young people. 30 October 2018 The seven youth centers targeted In appreciation of IOM’s engagement In October, IOM, provided peer with peer education and life skills with young people through youth education and life skills training trainings are located in towns that centers, Frehiwot Feleke, a 23-year to 138 participants, including are prone to irregular migration, old youth coordinator said, “The coordinators of 20 youth centers, 20 according to an assessment which training we receive here is vital, schools and officials of the Bureau was conducted by IOM. They are and there are many young people of Youth and Sport, and Bureau Alamata, Mekelle, Shire, Adigrat, like me from universities attending of Education. The training aimed Axum, Maichew and Adwa. IOM has this youth center. The use of such to interrogate the root causes of carried out similar peer education creative approaches, including irregular migration from the areas and life skills trainings in Oromia, theatre and informational material surrounding the youth centers. Amhara and Somali Regional States. to bring awareness about the Plans are underway to launch the dangers of irregular migration are IOM has a unique approach to same trainings in the Southern very effective.” tackling irregular migration of Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ young people out of Ethiopia. He added,” My colleagues and I Regional State (SNNPR). That The approach focuses on holding are living examples of the positive notwithstanding, challenges in behavioral change conversations impact of this type of engagement.” working with youth centers persist. with young people at youth centers. Despite the presence of thousands Aragaw Kasaye, a 28 year-old Through these engagements, of youth centers in Ethiopia, a dearth returnee who set up a barbershop young people are provided with of regular recreational activities and in Alamata, agrees with Frehiwot. information regarding migration, informational materials impede “At first I thought there were no including the dangers of irregular regular and systematic engagement options here in Alamata. I sold my migration and available channels for
4| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 Cover Story
Self-made water filter demonstration for displaced persons at Dolo Bay, Ethiopian Somali Region. Photo: Alemayehu Seifeselassie/ IOM barbershop equipment and cow through IOM-supported activities at Ethiopia. Accordingly, Catholic to launch an irregular migration the youth center in Alamata. Church managed Bruh Tesfa Youth journey through Bossaso to Yemen Through this youth center- based Development Center has shared its and crossed over to Saudi Arabia.” approach to engaging young experience with the participants. Kasaye witnessed the death of four people, IOM has brought together Hagos Lemlem, a youth coordinator Ethiopians on a congested boat as various partners working on for the Regional Children and Youth they tried to get to the Kingdom issues of irregular migration in Bureau, says that, “In addition to of Saudi Arabi (KSA). He spent ETB the material and skills support IOM 31,000 (approximately USD 1,125) has provided networking options for to get to KSA but was deported three “At first I thought there us with other partners such as the months later. Kasaye left Ethiopia for Catholic Church managed Bruh Tesfa KSA with the hope of getting a job in were no options here Youth Development Center, which is the construction sector but ended invaluable to us.” up herding goats on meager salary, a in Alamata. I sold my The project entitled “Enhancing job he had despised back home. barbershop equipment Migration Management in Ethiopia He found it ironic that he had to and Promoting Voluntary Return work as a goat herder after such a and cow to launch an and Reintegration of Ethiopians” perilous journey to the Kingdom is funded by Danish Embassy and of Saudi Arabia. With the help of irregular migration implemented by IOM in collaboration a microfinance institution, Kasaye with Ministry of Women, Children, was able to open a barber shop in journey through Bossaso and Youth. Ethiopia –and is now able to provide for his family. Currently, he serves to Yemen and crossed as one of the peer educators raising awareness about irregular migration over to Saudi Arabia.”
|5 News
General of Immigration, thanked IOM HELPS 67 ETHIOPIAN STRANDED IOM for the continuous support that MIGRANTS RETURN FROM TANZANIA it provides to the Government of Tanzania to manage migration in the country. He further added that more collaboration and coordination between the Governments of Tanzania and Ethiopia is needed to address the increasing number of Ethiopian migrants irregularly entering Tanzania. The return of the 67 migrants was made possible with generous financial support from the project Improving Protection of Migrants, Horn/Gulf of Aden/Yemen, Phase VIII. The project is funded by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) and managed by Ethiopian migrants boarding the flight at the Julius Nyerere International IOM Ethiopia. Airport, Dar Es Salaam Heba Abdel Latif, the IOM Coordinator for the project, was Addis Ababa - Ethiopia es Salaam. delighted to see that the IOM joint- 28 September 2018 Upon their arrival at Addis Ababa, country efforts had a successful On 28 September 2018 IOM they were received by the IOM outcome. She further added that the successfully secured the release Ethiopia team, which provided post- returnees will receive personalized and return of 67 Ethiopian irregular arrival support in the form of psycho- reintegration assistance in migrants who were detained in social and medical assistance as well Ethiopia based on their identified Tanzanian prisons. as an orientation session. vulnerabilities, which will facilitate their long-term reintegration into All 67 irregular migrants were IOM Tanzania Chief of Mission their communities of return. escorted from different prisons Dr. Qasim Sufi expressed his in Tanzania to Dar es Salaam by appreciation for the collaboration The Horn/Gulf of Aden/Yemen: IOM staff who assisted with the between the Governments of Improving Protection of Migrants, issuance of travel documents and Tanzania and Ethiopia, and for the Phase VIII project aims to enhance other preparations for their return. IOM staff efforts in securing the the management of mixed migration During their trip from Dar es Salaam release of all 67 irregular migrants flows in the Horn of Africa and Yemen to Addis Ababa, the migrants were who had been detained for by supporting governments and accompanied by delegates from the several months in various prisons protecting the rights of migrants. Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs throughout Tanzania. He further The project also focuses on and the Immigration Department, as thanked the representative of the ensuring that vulnerable migrants well as staff from IOM Ethiopia. newly opened Ethiopian Embassy benefit from improved protection, Prior to their departure and in in Tanzania for facilitating the assistance at Migration Response line with IOM’s voluntary return issuance of travel documents for the Centres and protection services, procedures, all 67 migrants returning migrants and applauded aligned to international standards underwent fit-to-travel medical the presence of an Ethiopian and provision of direct assistance examinations. They were provided embassy in Tanzania that will speed (this includes assisted voluntary with non-food items including up the process of migrant returns returns, non-food items, and clothes and toiletries and received back to Ethiopia. medical supplies to assist vulnerable departure assistance at the Julius Gerald Kihinga, acting Commissioner migrants). Nyerere International Airport in Dar
6| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 News IOM LAUNCHES USD 22.2M APPEAL FOR GEDEO, WEST GUJI DISPLACEMENT CRISIS IN ETHIOPIA D illa- Ethiopia 07 July 2018 Dilla –Since April 2018, some 970,000 people have fled their homes due to fighting between communities along the border of Gedeo and West Guji zones. Many of them were displaced in June alone. To respond to the displacement crisis in the two zones, IOM launched an appeal for USD 22,200,000 on 24 July.
“Leaving with what little they could carry and typically losing these possessions on their journey to safety, the displaced communities in Gedeo and West Guji are in great need of humanitarian support to help them get through Ethiopia’s cold and rainy season,” William Lacy Swing, former IOM Samira,* a displaced Ethiopian, holds one of her seven children in front of Director General. the tiny space she shares with other families at the Gedeb site. Photo: Alemayehu Seifeselassie/IOM 2018
the next six months in line with the partners have already begun to Since June, IOM has been scaling Government’s West Guji-Gedeo do so, and we thank them, but the up its response in Gedeo and West response plan. current funding levels for a sudden Guji. However, urgent funding is onset crisis of this scale – nearly required to continue to provide life- “The international community one million people displaced such a saving assistance. The IOM appeal must rally for the people and short period of time – are nowhere outlines funding requirements for Government of Ethiopia. Some
|7 News near acceptable,” added Director within host communities through communal shelters, four of which General Swing. an integrated approach, including are complete, to accommodate core relief distributions, primary those living in the open. IOM is also Many of the displaced population are health care, shelter and water, building communal kitchens for the staying with local communities, while sanitation and hygiene (WASH). IOM displaced communities. Of these, others are sheltering at collective is also facilitating the improvement five are complete. sites like schools, Government of humanitarian service delivery, facilities and disused or unfinished Overcrowding in the displacement as well as the local authorities’ buildings. Still, those staying with sites have meant access to safe capacity to address protection the local community often come to sanitation remain a concern. To date, concerns in displacement sites. the collective sites during the day IOM has constructed more than Additionally, IOM is supporting the to access humanitarian assistance. 200 of the planned 450 latrines. overall humanitarian community’s The collective sites are overcrowded IOM is also promoting safe hygiene response by monitoring population with thousands of people sheltering practices among the displaced movements and needs through its in buildings not fit for habitation. population through committees, Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). Thousands more are sleeping household visits, group sessions and outside on muddy grounds with only In early October, IOM distributed information campaigns. a sheet of tarpaulin to protect them over 2,000 blankets. With the Health needs are high and local from the cold and wet weather. Both support of the UK Department for hospitals and clinics are struggling situations raise major health and International Development, IOM to cope due to the large number protection concerns. is delivering more items to the of people they have to attend to. collective sites including additional IOM is focusing on providing IOM plans to support local health blankets and emergency shelter humanitarian assistance to displaced infrastructure with staff and mobile kits, such as tarpaulin and rope. IOM populations in collective sites and health clinics. has begun the construction of 40
ADDRESSING INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN ETHIOPIA Among various new initiatives in Ethiopia to address both the short- and long-term needs of IDPs, the Durable Solutions Working Group is making some progress, despite the challenging context.
G edeb - Ethiopia technical support of the international to development-oriented assistance. October 2018 community in 2014, leading to the Ethiopia’s lack of a comprehensive establishment of a multi-stakeholder There are currently more than 2.8 dedicated framework to guide Durable Solutions Working Group. million internally displaced persons responses to internal displacement Co-chaired by the Somali Regional (IDPs) in Ethiopia, compared with has hampered such a transition. State’s Disaster Prevention and an estimated 291,000 in July 2012. Currently, the only relevant policy Preparedness Bureau and the IOM, Drought, floods, ethnic/clan tensions is the Disaster Risk Management the Working Group has made some and conflicts over resources and (DRM) policy of 2013 and related progress – in a challenging policy borders continue to be the key Strategic Programme and Investment environment – in addressing both drivers of internal displacement. Framework. the humanitarian and development Conflict accounts for 70 per cent of While the DRM objectives are needs of IDPs. all displacement cases. to reduce risks associated with Responses to internal displacement Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, disasters and to protect those in Ethiopia have been largely focused which borders Somalia to the north, at risk in such circumstances, on life-saving humanitarian action. east and south, accounts for the they do not specifically address Although humanitarian responses largest number of IDPs. either emergency or development play a vital role in providing a safety assistance needs of IDPs. While Acknowledging the growing net for those in need, it is equally the Government of Ethiopia is a numbers of IDPs, the government of crucial to ensure a smooth transition signatory to the AU Convention for Somali Regional State requested the 8| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 Feature the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (the Kampala Convention), it is yet to ratify it. The government argues that existing domestic legal and policy frameworks provide adequate guidance for addressing internal displacement. The recurrent pattern of natural hazards and disasters related to human activity in Ethiopia means that donors tend to shift their attention quickly from one crisis to another. Moreover, the government tends to attribute all crises to natural hazards – as such attribution is less likely to damage the country’s reputation in terms of making progress in development. This has impeded the necessary momentum for reform. As a result, the vulnerabilities, losses and traumatic experiences of IDPs, as well as the systemic and structural problems and longer-term impacts on host communities and environments, are quickly forgotten. There have been some positive steps forward. Prompted – in part, at least – by the scale of displacement attributed to recurrent disasters and by the engagement of a wider range of humanitarian and development actors, Ethiopia has introduced some new institutional mechanisms to help meet IDPs’ immediate and longer- term needs for both humanitarian and development assistance. These include an IDP Advisory Group (comprising the UN Resident/ Humanitarian Coordinator, the UN Office for the Coordination of the With the support of the international outcomes.” Humanitarian Affairs, IOM, the UN community, the Ethiopian A new regional approach Refugee Agency, the International government is also implementing Committee of the Red Cross and the the New Way of Working approach. In October 2017, Ethiopia’s Danish Refugee Council). There is It emerged from the World Somali Regional State developed also a national steering committee Humanitarian Summit, and is and endorsed a regional durable (under the leadership of the Deputy defined as “working over multiple solutions strategy, the first of its kind Prime Minister) to support over years, based on the comparative for both the Somali Regional State a million people displaced due to advantage of a diverse range of and in Ethiopia. The strategy adopts conflict between Somali and Oromia actors, including those outside the definition of an IDP proposed by Regional States. the UN system, towards collective the Guiding Principles on Internal
|9 Feature
that can support progress towards solutions and future policy decisions. A few years ago, there were no data on IDPs (reflecting the government’s sensitivities on the subject). Systematic data collection and displacement mapping by IOM started at the lowest administrative level. However, as more actors began to use the data to inform their planning, the information management system was gradually expanded to cover the whole country. Today, all cluster leads in Ethiopia rely on DTM for their sectoral planning. The federal government endorsed the tool in 2017. Crucially, there is need to hold dialogue to de-sensitize and de- Displacement while recognizing Notwithstanding the progress made politicize discussions and processes the specific challenges that exist in so far, challenges remain. One such around internal displacement. The Ethiopia regarding such a definition, challenge is bringing everyone on evolving national-level engagement particularly in relation to pastoralists. board to implement the strategy since on internal displacement in general it requires the concerted effort of all The strategy was spearheaded by and durable solutions in particular stakeholders under the leadership of the Durable Solutions Working can be attributed to the work done the government. Group (DSWG) and is aligned in Regional States such as Somali and with international principles and In addition, there is need to pay Gambella that had suffered massive frameworks including the Guiding attention to the reality of the limited and recurrent displacements. Principles, the Inter-Agency Standing resources and inadequate technical Behigu Habte [email protected] Committee Framework on Durable capacity of regional implementers. Solutions for IDPs and the Kampala Addressing the first may require Emergency and Post-Crisis Programme Officer Convention, and the relevant national agencies participating in the DSWG to Yun Jin Kweon [email protected] Peacebuilding tools. Even though it is regional in develop a collective strategy. Officer scope, this is the first framework IOM has been providing capacity UN Migration Agency (IOM) www.iom.int developed and endorsed in Ethiopia building on durable solutions. In that specifically targets internal 2017, IOM held a two-day training 1. According to the IOM’s Displacement displacement. It has stimulated the for 73 regional government officials Tracking Matrix. The increase in numbers interest of other Ethiopian regions (working in justice, microfinance, is partly due to improved data collection (including Afar, Gambella and Oromia) health, etc.) in Gambella, Somali methodologies, more comprehensive in embracing a comprehensive Regional State and Afar. The training coverage and wider range of actors approach to addressing internal covered topics such as early recovery accessing IDPs in previously hard-to-reach displacement, which has in and the various international/African/ areas. It should be noted that IDP statistics turn attracted the attention of Ethiopian frameworks on internal remain contested in Ethiopia. policymakers at the national level. displacement. https://displacement.iom.int/node/3929; Ethiopia’s first national consultation, held in late 2017, prompted tentative There remains a dearth of analysis https://displacement.iom.int/node/4012 to inform policy development. steps towards developing a national 2. www.agendaforhumanity.org/ Hence, functions of the existing IDP policy, leading to the recovery initiatives/5358 needs of IDPs being reflected in the information management system on country’s national humanitarian internal displacement such as IOM’s 3. bit.ly/SRS-durable-solutions-strategy planning process for the first time. Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) should be as a body of evidence
10| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 News IOM HELPS ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS, SOMALI REFUGEES RETURN HOME FROM WAR-TORN YEMEN
Ethiopian migrants in Obock, Djibouti, walk to a shaded area to await smugglers to bring them to Yemen. Photo: Olivia Headon/IOM 2018
Yme e n - 08 August 2018 Sana’a to Hudaydah city, where they On 5 August, IOM, in coordination spent the night. They then voluntarily IOM continues to help migrants, with UNHCR, assisted 116 Somalis left for Ethiopia via Djibouti the including refugees, stranded in refugees return home from Aden. following day. Yemen return home, with its latest The group comprised of 48 men, voluntary humanitarian return Nearly 100,000 Yemenis have been 29 women, 19 boys and 20 girls. support taking place in August 2018. displaced by the political instability This group was assisted through The first movement left Hudaydah and violence in Hudaydah. To the Assisted Spontaneous Return with 132 Ethiopian migrants while support the displaced community, programme (ASR) for Somali the second left Aden with 116 Somali IOM is providing food and medical refugees in Yemen. The programme refugees. assistance daily to some 500 and 200 is implemented in close collaboration people, respectively. with the Yemeni Authority, Somali The conflict in Yemen, now in its third National Commission for Refugees year, has taken a toll on both Yemenis “Despite the difficult environment in and Internally Displaced Persons and migrants. For migrants, the Hudaydah, IOM has been assisting (NCRI) and the Somali Consulate. escalation of violence in Hudaydah migrants and the internally displaced in June meant being stranded in population,” said Sarat Dash, IOM IOM has assisted 615 stranded Yemen longer. This is because IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen. migrants return home from Yemen Voluntary Humanitarian Return on IOM’s voluntary humanitarian “IOM is distributing food and water (VHR) programming at the city’s return (VHR) programme since and providing medical assistance. port was temporarily stopped. the beginning of 2018. Similarly, Meals are being provided at IOM’s An improvement in the security 1,321 refugees have been assisted Migrants Response Point and in four situation saw movements from to leave Aden under the Assisted schools in Al Marawa. We are also Hudaydah resume in mid-July. Spontaneous Return (ASR) providing food baskets and materials programme in the same period. IOM escorted the 132 Ethiopian to build shelters to displaced people migrants – 96 men, 19 women and not lucky enough to be hosted in a 17 unaccompanied children–from school,” said Dash.
|11 News
BEST PERFORMING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION FACILITATORS AWARDED IN ETHIOPIA
A dama - Ethiopia program has been effective in “IOM highly commends the efforts 03 August 2018 reaching out to communities within by the Government of Ethiopia in a short period of time, including combatting trafficking in persons and In August, IOM awarded 12 Best remote and rural areas. The program smuggling of migrants, as manifested Performing Community Conversation has also been commended for its in the whole-of-government (CC) Facilitators and kebeles in all-inclusive approach as it involves approach and community Ethiopia. The award ceremony religious leaders, elderly and local mobilization effort which resulted was held in Adama. During the administrative personnel figures and in reaching out to communities and ceremony, the Ministry of Labor and migrants. increased prosecution measures Social Affairs (MOLSA) officials and on perpetrators,” said Jian ZHAO, Regional administrators highlighted In addition to raising awareness on Deputy Chief of Mission for IOM the effectiveness of the CC program the risks and dangers of irregular Ethiopia. while the CC facilitators highlighted migration and enabling migrants to their achievements. make informed decisions, several He added that, “IOM supports the regional and local administrators Government of Ethiopia’s effort In recent years, IOM, in partnership stated that the program has in this regard and will continue with the Government of Ethiopia, empowered communities to assist making best efforts to implement has been implementing CC activities law enforcement officials to crack CC activities in more districts and at the grassroots level in many parts down on human traffickers and communities.” of Ethiopia to combat and prevent smugglers. irregular migration. In addition to the 12 best performing “Such community-based initiatives CC facilitators, four Woredas and The CC approach has contributed are effective in our effort [at] Zones and the Bureau of Labor and to IOM’s messaging on the positive combatting [and solving] the Social Affairs for the Southern Nation aspects of regular migration challenges of irregular migration and Nationalities People Region and the dangers and associated through encouraging shared (SNNPR) were awarded computers consequences of irregular migration. responsibility at the grassroots level,” and certificates of recognition for Using this approach, IOM’s Behaviour said Ambassador Misganu Arga, effectively implementing the CC Change Communication (BCC) State Minister for MOLSA during the program. program has strengthened both ceremony. the government and stakeholders’ The award ceremony was supported efforts to prevent irregular migration. “This should continue to reach out to by a project funded by the more districts,” he added. . Government of Netherlands, as part The Community Conversation of a community conversation project.
12| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 News
IOM FACILITATES RETURN OF 63 RESCUED ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS FROM SOMALILAND migrant, said she was shaken by the experience. “I was just waiting for death. I am happy to be alive now and my family is happy that I am alive. Now, I just want to go back to Ethiopia.” Somaliland is both a destination and a country of origin for migrants. Migration flows in the Horn of Africa region are generally high, as people, many of them youth, attempt to flee poverty and unemployment in search of better economic and job opportunities. Still, it was unusual for a boat from Djibouti headed to Yemen to find its way to Somaliland, as Jessamy Garver-Affeldt, Head of the IOM Sub- The migrants will receive reintegration assistance once they have reached Office in Hargeisa explained. their final destinations, following a vulnerability assessment. Photo credit: IOM Somalia “These migrants took a new route, and when they drifted off course they ended up in the middle of the Ha Argeis - 13 September 2018 migrants was also supported by the Gulf of Aden – a desperate place for Somaliland National Displacement Sixty-Three Ethiopian migrants who a small boat without provisions.” and Refugee Agency, Hargeisa were assisted to return home from Migrant Response Center, Somaliland “We are very happy that they were Somaliland on 13 September 2018. rescued, and we were able to The migrants had been stranded support them through our Assisted at sea for six days when their boat “Once we help migrants Voluntary Return service. We know engine failed. They left Hargeisa return, we work to that our colleagues at IOM Ethiopia in several groups after receiving will receive them at Bole airport in medical attention, food, shelter, ensure that they Addis Ababa and see to it that they clothing and counselling support return safely to their families.” from IOM office in Hargeisa. One of achieve economic self- the migrants was aged 15. The migrants all chose to return to Ethiopia where they will receive The group had departed from sufficiency and that they reintegration assistance once they Djibouti, heading for Saudi Arabia are psychologically and have reached their final destinations, via Yemen in early July. Two of the following a vulnerability assessment. migrants died from hunger and thirst socially stable,” after supplies ran out when the boat “Once we help migrants return, we work to ensure that they achieve went adrift. Immigration and Border Control, and economic self-sufficiency and the Somaliland Ministry of Health The migrants caught the attention that they are psychologically and and Development. The Ethiopian of a merchant ship, which rescued socially stable,” said Julia Hartlieb, consulate in Somaliland provided them with support from the Berbera IOM Senior Regional Programme consular services to the migrants. Regional Government in Somaliland Coordinator in the Horn of Africa. and the Somaliland Coast Guard. Speaking before her return to Response and assistance to the Ethiopia, Samhar, a 22-year-old
|13 Feature A FORCE FOR GOOD: THE GLOBAL COMPACT AIMS TO MAKE MIGRATION SAFER Nai robi - Kenya migration and offers us the much- 31 October 2018 needed data to build our common understanding of its realities and Effective implementation of the to rebut the myths, which run the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly risk of informing current migration and Regular Migration (GCM), due to response,” Achieng said in her be adopted in Morocco in December remarks. 2018, will reduce the risks that some migrants face during their journeys. She noted that migration is It will also bolster the developmental increasingly viewed as a problem, impact of migration. rather than the force for good that it historically has been. This The GCM aims to ensure that the in part is due to a dangerous and Mediterranean migration situation of often unfounded linkage between 2015 — characterized by increased migration, insecurity at the national irregular migration flows, deaths level and threats to public health. and gross human rights violations The perception of migration as a — is not repeated. The Compact threat to the cultural identity of urges United Nations member host communities, the fear that the states to address migration concerns presence of migrants will make host comprehensively, and to do more communities lose out economically, managed.” to ensure respect and protection of and an exaggerated sense of the migrants’ rights of regardless of their IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission burden migrants’ put on national migration status, while also taking Maureen Achieng speaking at resources or budgets further the security and prosperity concerns regional conference on human compound the problem. These of countries across the migration rights in migration governance. prejudices result in the scapegoating spectrum into consideration. Photo: IOM 2018 of migrants, especially at times of Maureen Achieng is Chief of Mission heightened political tension. for the UN Migration Agency (IOM) This in turn provokes gross human The negative perception of migration in Ethiopia, and representative to the rights violations, including arbitrary is also influenced by information African Union, IGAD and UNECA. She detention and a lack of due process gaps between actual migration recently shared her views on the GCM in cases of irregular migration. flows and the public’s perception, at a regional conference on human However, Achieng reminded either in terms of how many rights in migration governance held conference attendees that the migrants there are or their reasons late October in Nairobi. overwhelming majority of migrants for moving. While data on irregular The event was organized by tend to be law-abiding residents of migration tends to be elusive and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für their host societies, contributing escapes official statistics, there can Internationale Zusammenarbeit in ways both small and large to the sometimes be wilful misinformation (GIZ) with support from the Better economic, social and cultural life of intended to mobilize hostility against Migration Management (BMM) their communities. migrants and migration with a program, a regional, multi-year and view to stopping more migration “Depending on one’s perspective, multi-partner programme co-funded or to removing migrants from migration means many different by the EU Trust Fund for Africa host societies. Yet, migration is a things all at once,” she added. “For and the German Federal Ministry source of prosperity, innovation some it has to be stopped given it for Economic Cooperation and and sustainable development in the brings with it too many costs and Development (BMZ). globalized world. hazards — a migration crisis of sorts “The GCM is the product of an — yet for others, it brings a lot of “Migration contributes to positive unprecedented review of evidence benefits for society at large, if well development outcomes and
14| The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 News to realizing the goals of the official development assistance to disparities within and between 2030 Agenda for Sustainable developing countries. countries continue to exist, people Development, especially when it is will continue to move from where Achieng regrets that the spotlight properly managed,” added Achieng. there are fewer opportunities to remains largely on migration where there are more opportunities. Estimates for 2017 reveal that across oceans rather than across international migrant remittance land borders, noting that most “As the UN Migration Agency, we inflows to developing countries international African migration is remain convinced that migration represented 76 per cent (about actually intra-African migration. This is a reality of life that has to be USD 450 billion) of the total global means it takes place across land managed,” Achieng concluded. remittances (USD 596 billion). borders rather than across oceans. This amount far surpasses total She added that as long as economic
IOM, ZOA DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND NON- FOOD ITEMS ASSISTANCE TO DISPLACED FAMILIES IN LARE WOREDA, GAMBELLA REGION
Gambella - Ethiopia 13 August 2018 More than 200 families displaced by conflict in Pilual Kebele of Lare Woreda, Gambella Region received emergency shelter kits and non-food items from IOM. The distribution was done in collaboration with IOM’s implementing partner agency ZOA and the Gambella Regional State Disaster Preparedness and Food Security Agency (DPFSA). The kits contained 16 items including plastic sheeting, rope, mosquito nets, blankets, sleeping mats, water containers and kitchen sets. Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Item distribution in Lare Woreda, This distribution was the first joint Gambella Region intervention carried out between IOM and ZOA following recent signing “Armed men invaded and began to The donation will save families from of an implementing partnership burn down houses in our village,” the exceptionally heavy rains season agreement for refugee and IDP said one recipient. “We were in this year. a hurry and not able to bring our programming in the Gambella The ES/NFI distribution was made belongings with us. All we were Region of Ethiopia. possible with funding from ECHO. thinking about was to save our lives. Fighting between warring factions Through this funding support, IOM We were worried because we have over the control of Pagak town has been able to assist over 10,000 no food for our children or shelter in South Sudan impacted border households with ES/NFI across and household utensils.” communities in the Lare Woreda Somali, Oromia, Afar and Gambella of Gambella Region in Ethiopia as Some of the displaced families Regions of Ethiopia since April 2017. factions fought for control of Pagak sought refuge with relatives. The town during the past months. more than 200 families had to shelter under trees.
|15 The Migrant | Volume 20 Issue 6 October 2018 country in the area of migration and IGAD HOLDS ITS LAST NATIONAL movement of persons. She implored national participants and IGAD experts CONSULTATION ON FREE to come to a “shared understanding MOVEMENT OF PERSONS on the subject matter” towards “a more concrete cooperation” between IGAD Member States. “There should be a mechanism by which the IGAD region can best manage such complex migration flows”, she said. The Minister also highlighted that it was “necessary to assure the free movement of persons as the integral part of the IGAD Migration Policy Framework and as a major objective B ishoftu- Ethiopia This four-day workshop was meant to under the Regional Economic 03 September 2018 get inputs from national stakeholders Integration in the IGAD Region”. On 3 September, the and experts on benefits and barriers Intergovernmental Authority on to free movement of persons Fathia Alwan recalled that the Development (IGAD) held a National and transhumance (the seasonal IGAD Secretariat mandate was Consultation Workshop towards movement of livestock). It also aimed “to facilitate its Member States to the Protocol on Free Movement of at deriving national recommendations develop a common understanding of Persons and Transhumance held in towards the Provisions of the Protocol benefits and barriers of this Regime Bishoftuby the Intergovernmental and developing a road map for the of Free Movement of Persons in Authority on Development (IGAD). negotiation and adoption of the the Region”. She added that, from Protocol on Free Movement of global experience, Free Movement of The opening session was attended Persons and Transhumance in the Persons Regime had a “high potential officially opened by Hirut IGAD Region. to provide livelihood options” to Woldemariam, the Minister of Labour citizens. and Social Affairs. It was attended This National Consultative Workshop, by, among others, the Director of - the last before the start of the Representatives from the IOM and the IGAD Health and Social Development regional level negotiations - brought ILO also expressed their support for Division, Fathia Alwan, the Director together experts on migration the initiative. and related themes as well as all General for Neighbouring Countries IGAD has received a grant from the national stakeholders from each and IGAD Affairs at the Ministry European Union Emergency Trust of the Ministries and Authorities of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Fund to facilitate the establishment of Government, Civil Society Ambassador Mohamoud Mohamed of a free movement regime within Organizations, Academia, Private Dirir. Also in attendance was Maureen the IGAD region. This is in a bid to Sector and Media to contribute to Achieng, IOM Ethiopia Chief of promote the regularization of the high effective migration governance. Mission, and George Okutho, the volume of informal movement that Director of the International Labour Hirut Woldemariam noted that currently takes place, and increase the Organization in Ethiopia. Ethiopia was an origin, transit and host opportunities for legal mobility.
Touhank y to our donors and partners
International Organization for Migration Special Liaison Office (SLO) in Addis Ababa P.O. Box 25283 Code 1000 Addis Ababa IOM Tel +251 116 611 097/98, Fax +251 116 611 101, Email: [email protected] UN Migration www.iom.int www.iom.ethiopia.org twitter.com/IOMEthiopia facebook.com/iomsloet