Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia, home to close to 900,000 refugees, has created favorable conditions for refugees to engage in gainful employment opportunities, an Ethiopian official has said.
The statement was made by Nigusu Tilahun, State Minister of Ministry of Labor and Skills of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, as he sated that stated that since the adoption of Kampala Declaration, the government of Ethiopia has created favorable conditions for refugees to engage in gainful employment opportunities.
Nigusu made the remarks as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) launched the second regional experts’ meeting, under the framework of its Support Platform of the Nairobi process, on Kampala Declaration on jobs, livelihoods and self — reliance for Refugees, Returnees and Host Communities, today, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“Ethiopia is home to close to 900,000 refugees. This has enabled the creation of 17,526 direct and close to 80,000 indirect economic opportunities for refugees and host communities,” an IGAD statement quoted the state minster as saying.
The main objective of the expert meeting is reviewing member states’ reports on the Declaration implementation, commitments provisions, reviewing and adopting the Action Plan as well as recommendation for the coming ministerial meeting on the declaration.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of IGAD, Workneh Gebeyehu, and Madam Fathia Alwan, the Director of Health Social Development Division, Commander Abebe Muluneh, IGAD Head of Mission to Ethiopia, welcomed the participants and lauded the efforts of the IGAD and its member states engagement to find sustainable solutions for refugees, returnees and host communities in line with the commitments IGAD Heads of States made under the Nairobi Declaration, the Kampala Declaration and the IGAD Support Platform.
“This Expert meeting will take stock of the progress made by member states towards creating livelihood opportunities and self-reliance for refugees, returnees and host communities.” The commander added.
The two days discussions highlighted the policy short comings and ways to incentivize policy reforms that support refugee economic integration in the IGAD region.
The IGAD support platform and engagement of its Core Group members aim to ensure support for comprehensive response in the IGAD region. It also calls for coherent and comprehensive partner intervention to address the needs of displaced affected communities.
The preparatory meeting brought together representatives of member states experts from refugee affairs, labor and planning as well as UNHCR, GIZ, ILO and IGAD staff.
This Regional Experts Meeting on Kampala Declaration on self — reliance is funded by joint IGAD –GIZ SIMPI project.
The outcomes of the meeting resulted in inter active exchange among governments on best practices, challenges, lessons and recommendation for the ministerial meeting on the declaration.
