Government Finalizing Migration Policy

Addis Ababa April 8/2022 /ENA/ Ethiopia's revised migration policy draft has been discussed with development partners, embassies, and UN agencies today.

Speaking at the consultative meeting, Justice State Minister Alemante Agidew said a migration policy will serve as a powerful instrument for advancing national development and ensuring further human rights of migrants.

The new policy will also substantially advance African regional and continental integration and development, he added.

According to him, Ethiopia’s approach to migration governance will facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.

National Policy Coalition Secretariat Head at Ministry of Justice, Fetiya Seid said the final draft policy was presented to stakeholders to get inputs to the last draft before it is presented to the Council of Ministers.

The head stated that the draft is important because migration needs a comprehensive policy to address issues like border management, irregular migration, trafficking, smuggling, and remittance, among others.

"A revised migration policy is crucial for our country because Ethiopia is one of the largest countries of origin, a transit, and destination for migration," Fetiya noted.

According to her, many Ethiopians are being exploited in other countries and become victims of human trafficking.

To reduce the harm of migration, managing migration is critical, she added.

Protection of migrant workers and migrants, rehabilitation of returnees, migration, and research  are also addressed by the draft policy.