Addis Ababa – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ethiopia has published its Crisis Response Plan for 2021, appealing for $111 million US dollars to help over 1.7 million people.

Among those targeted are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnee migrants, refugees, host communities, and other vulnerable groups impacted by crisis and displacement in Ethiopia, including COVID-19, flooding, food insecurity and desert locust infestation.

These issues have led to the displacement of an estimated 2 million people in the country and created a humanitarian crisis. COVID-19 has led to voluntary and involuntary return of over 63,000 Ethiopian migrants in need of assistance. Thousands returned to the country empty handed and in need of basic necessities such as food and shelter. An estimated additional 100,000 Ethiopian migrants are expected to return to the country in 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic.

Ethiopia also has the second largest number of refugees in Africa, with a refugee population of over 800,000 at present needing emergency assistance.

“I use this opportunity to thank the international community for their continued assistance to Ethiopians in need, and I hope that this urgent situation Ethiopia faces at this point in time will meet with the same generosity that we have seen characterize previous donor funding for populations in need in the country”, said Maureen Achieng, Chief of Mission to Ethiopia and Representative to AU and UNECA.

If the appeal funds are received, IOM will expand its operations and existing expertise to support the Government of Ethiopia to provide assistance and solutions in the areas of migration health, emergency response, migration management, and recovery and stabilization initiatives such as providing sustainable livelihood and socio-economic empowerment, among others.

Read the full IOM Ethiopia Crisis Response Plan here.  

Watch here. 

IOM’s Global Crisis Response Platform provides an overview of IOM’s plans and funding requirements to respond to the evolving needs and aspirations of those impacted by, or at risk of, crisis and displacement in 2021 and beyond. The Platform is regularly updated as crises evolve, and new situations emerge.  

For more information, please contact Krizia Kaye Viray, IOM Ethiopia, Tel: +251993531220, Email: kkviray@iom.int