Ministerial workshop validates Ethiopia’s Pledges for GRF 2023

Addis Ababa, October 26, 2023 (FBC) – A high-level ministerial validation workshop, organized by Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), to endorse the Government’s final pledges for the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF), kicked off today in Bishoftu town.

Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, addressed the workshop and stated that Ethiopia shelters one million refugees and asylum seekers.

As one of the world’s largest refugee host countries, Demeke highlighted Ethiopia’s outstanding commitment to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers as a duty of its international obligation.

Demeke also emphasized that Ethiopia is working to facilitate the integration of refugees into their host communities and national systems.

During the workshop, six pledges were validated and endorsed that will be announced at the upcoming Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in December 2023.

The pledges include addressing the adverse impacts of climate change; transforming selected refugee camps into urban settlements; integrating refugees into existing national systems; creating enabling environments for more investment in refugee hosting regions; providing access to land and irrigation schemes; and enhancing digital connectivity to boost government’s capacity to provide registration and civil documentation, among others.

Ministers, the head of RRS, and representatives from relevant Federal institutions, UNHCR, IGAD and the GRF team took part in the workshop.