How many Eritrean refugees are in Ethiopia?

As of October 2020, Ethiopia hosted approximately 149,000 registered Eritrean refugees. Many were in the northern Tigray region, bordering Eritrea, in four camps, with approximately 20,000 in Hitsats and Shimelba in northwestern Tigray and about 31,000 in Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps in southern Tigray.

How many refugee camps are in Ethiopia?

Most are accommodated in 26 refugee camps with limited services and opportunities, and depend largely on humanitarian assistance.

Where do Ethiopian refugees go?

Most of these refugees went to neighboring states, mainly Sudan and Kenya, and many were eventually resettled in Western countries, notably the United States, Europe, and Australia. Between 1982 and 1990, Ethiopians accounted for 90 percent of African refugees resettled in the United States.

How many Ethiopian live in Eritrea?

They speak the Afar language as a mother tongue, and are predominantly Muslim. Afars in Eritrea number about 397,000 individuals, the smallest population out of the countries they reside in. In Djibouti, there are about 780,000 group members, and in Ethiopia, they number approximately 1,300,000.

What happened between Eritrea and Ethiopia?

The Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict was a violent standoff and a proxy conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Then a fateful incident happened in the Badme area on 6 May 1998: Ethiopian forces attacked an Eritrean platoon on patrol, killing five officers of the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF).

How does the UNHCR help refugees?

UNHCR cooperates with its Government and civil society partners in humanitarian support for refugees including in education, healthcare and community support.

  • Advocacy.
  • Community-based Protection.
  • Protection.
  • Programmes.
  • Registration.
  • Child Protection.
  • Sexual and Gender-based Violence.
  • Durable Solutions.

Why are there Eritrean refugees?

Thousands of Eritreans have been fleeing the Northeast African country to live in the camps in neighboring Ethiopia since at least 2008 due to forced, indefinite military service; religious persecution; and torture. There are an estimated 180,000 Eritrean refugees total in Ethiopia, according to the UNHCR.

Why do refugees go to Ethiopia?

“We need more international assistance to provide the basic needs for the refugees such as shelter, food, water, sanitation, education and health,” says Mr. Aweke. The refugees are involved in various livelihood activities, including small-scale animal husbandry and other agricultural projects.

When was Eritrean federation with Ethiopia?

Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Ethiopian–Eritrean Federation
• Federation 15 September 1952
• Eritrean War of Independence 1 September 1961
• Withdrawal of autonomy 15 November 1962
Currency Ethiopian birr

How is UNHCR responding to the situation in eastern Sudan?

UNHCR and partners are jointly responding and overseeing preparedness plans in case of a further influx into eastern Sudan. UNHCR is appealing for US$164.5 million to assist 96,000 Eritrean refugees and 650,000 internally displaced people in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and up to 120,000 Ethiopian refugees in eastern Sudan.

How many Eritrean refugees are there in Ethiopia?

Prior to the crisis, the Tigray region of Ethiopia hosted 95,929 registered Eritrean refugees, approximately 100,000 Ethiopian internally displaced persons (IDPs), and some 500,000 people dependent on food relief assistance. In addition, 1 million people received safety net assistance.

Who are the refugees crossing into Sudan from Ethiopia?

UNHCR has also observed more refugees crossing into Sudan from Ethiopia. Last month, more than 275 refugees, of which about 40 were Eritrean, arrived in Sudan’s Hamdayet, which borders Tigray. A larger group of about 900 people of Qemant ethnicity crossed into Sudan from the Amhara region through Gallabat.

Can Eritrean refugees in Tigray get ID documents?

Since 4 August, UNHCR with ARRA and non-governmental organization WISE, have begun issuing temporary identification documents to Eritrean refugees who fled to Addis Ababa from the Shimelba and Hitsats camps in northern Tigray, which were destroyed at the start of this year.