Government of Ethiopia, UNHCR to relocate Sudanese refugees to a new site in Amhara region

The Government of Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency,  will relocate Sudanese refugees to a new site in the Amhara region.

The selection of the new Aftit site was agreed upon following comprehensive assessments and collaborative efforts by the government, UNHCR and other partners involved in refugee response in the Amhara region. The site is well-located to enhance the security and protection of refugees. Up to 12,500 refugees mainly from Sudan, including those who were previously hosted in Awlala and Kumer refugee sites and those at transit centres, will be hosted in the Aftit site. 

The Awlala and Kumer refugee sites will be gradually closed to ensure adequate security, protection and improved services and assistance for those forced to flee.

As site developments in Aftit continue, RRS, UNHCR, and partners are diligently working to ensure basic services are available and adequate for refugee families. Additionally, resources will also go into strengthening national services already available in Aftit to benefit both refugees and communities hosting them. Local authorities in Aftit have also committed to ensuring the inclusion of refugees in education and health systems. 

Ethiopia continues to open its doors to people forced to flee, including being one of seven neighbouring countries that continue to receive thousands of people seeking safety from the Sudan conflict. As one of the leading refugee-hosting countries in Africa, Ethiopia is home to over 1.1 million refugees and asylum seekers mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. 

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For more information, please contact: 

• In Addis: Beakal Nigussie, [email protected], +251 944 100 053 

• In Addis: Kristin Halvorsen, [email protected], +251 993 611 597 

• In Nairobi (regional), Faith Kasina, [email protected], +254 113 427 094