Netherlands Praises Ethiopia’s Refugee Inclusion Policy

Addis Ababa: The Netherlands highly commends Ethiopia’s open-door policy and its progressive strides in refugee inclusion, a testament to the nation’s commitment to humanitarian protection, Netherlands Embassy Regional Migration Coordinator Tiest Sondaal said. The regional coordinator noted Ethiopia’s pivotal role in hosting refugees, predominantly from neighboring countries, acknowledging the significant steps taken by the government to foster their inclusion.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, Sondaal emphasized Ethiopia’s policy of offering protection to people in need. He further detailed the concrete measures adopted by Ethiopia, which were showcased at a recent High-Level Dialogue on Refugee Inclusion held in Addis Ababa. The dialogue highlighted Ethiopia’s efforts, such as providing protection, issuing work permits, and offering national IDs to refugees, granting them access to essential services.

Sondaal expressed optimism about the positive steps taken by the Ethiopian government and affirmed the Dutch government’s support. Despite the challenging funding landscape with global cuts to humanitarian and development assistance, the Netherlands remains a significant contributor. “As the Netherlands, we’re still a large contributor to humanitarian aid and development aid. We provide un-earmarked financing to UNHCR and other UN agencies so they can spend the money in those areas where the needs are the greatest,” Sondaal explained.

In addition to financial contributions, the Netherlands actively engages in direct development programming in partnership with organizations like UNHCR, UNICEF, ILO, the World Bank, and IFC. This program, which began in 2019 and was recently extended for another four years, has a substantial impact in Ethiopia, supporting urban refugees in Addis Ababa and refugees in host communities in the Afar, Somali, and Amhara regions.

The coordinator reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s government in fostering refugee inclusion, emphasizing the shared responsibility to contribute to this humanitarian effort.