Ethiopia’s complex challenges require more coherent, ambitious, and system-wide collaboration to bridge humanitarian funding gaps, priority strategic engagements and coordination; says appointed UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ozonnia Ojielo.
Ojielo’s statement comes following a meeting with UNHCR Ethiopia’s leadership and staff focused on operational priorities, national alignment, and the evolving displacement landscape in Ethiopia.
UNHCR currently operates in 10 field locations across major refugee-hosting regions—including Gambella, Somali Region, Benishangul-Gumuz, and the northern border areas—supporting 30 refugee sites and camps as well as a significant urban refugee population in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia continues to host around 1.1 million refugees, primarily from South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea. The team highlighted the continued shift toward community-based and refugee-led approaches, strengthened partnerships with local organizations, and deeper alignment with national priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
UNHCR leadership also underscored the importance of Ethiopia’s evolving legal environment, which is expanding refugees’ access to services, documentation, and economic opportunities—an essential enabler of longer-term inclusion.
UNHCR also presented the severity of current funding challenges and stressed the need for diversified and less-restricted financing, including enhanced engagement with private-sector partners. Efforts to increase efficiency—such as inter-agency collaboration through shared offices, joint procurement, and common services—were also outlined.
