Addis Ababa, July 10, 2024 (FBC) – The Ministry of Women and Social Affairs inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and data sharing protocol with pertinent ministries and institutions to strengthen cooperation to sustainably rehabilitate and safeguard the rights of returnee Ethiopian migrants.
It is stated that this collaboration will also streamline information sharing and enhance ongoing work to sustainably reintegrate migrant returnees.
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Education, Health, Agriculture, Labor and Skills, Innovation and Technology signed the agreement today with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs.
Federal Police Commission, Immigration and Citizenship Service, as well as Refugees and Returnees Service are also the institutions inked the agreement with the ministry.
Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Ergogie Tesfaye signed the agreement with ministers of the stated ministries and head of the institutions.
On the occasion, Ergogie brought attention to the precarious situation faced by citizens who attempt to migrate abroad through human traffickers. These citizens face health risks, psychological stress, sexual abuse by armed organizations, border guards, and other criminal gangs, among other potentially fatal risks.
She mentioned about the extensive measures being taken by the Ethiopian government in agreement with its citizen oriented policy to repatriate citizens who fled their country of origin through irregular migration and were facing several difficulties.
The agreement signed today with pertinent ministries and institutions aimed at strengthening cooperation in the efforts to rehabilitate and sustainably safeguard the rights of these returnees, she underlined.
It is further indicated that this collaboration is supported by the UN Migration Agency (International Organization for Migration – IOM) and the European Union (EU).