Ethiopia committed to transform the lives of refugees, host communities

Addis Ababa, December 14, 2023 (FBC) – Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s unwavering commitment to collaborate with stakeholders to transform the lives of refugees and host communities.

Mr. Demeke was speaking at an event in Geneva, Switzerland, today co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and the IKEA Foundation under the facilitation of UNHCR.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also expressed his profound appreciation to the IKEA Foundation for its valuable partnership in co-hosting the Melkadida Refugee Compact and the Kebribeyah Integration Road Map.

Protecting and integrating refugees requires a multistakeholder partnership, including the private sector, Demeke noted.

He also said that Ethiopia has made a significant stride to integrate refugees into national policies and basic services.

The event was hosted to launch a groundbreaking initiative—the Melkadida Refugee Compact and the Kebribeyah Roadmap.

Teyiba Hassan, Director General of the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), spoke at length about the history of hosting refugees in Ethiopia and expressed her gratitude to IKEA for its support.