Ethiopia Launches Makatet to Integrate 1.1 Million Refugees as Sudan War Raises Security Fears
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 21
Ethiopia Launches Makatet to Integrate 1.1 Million Refugees as Sudan War Raises Security Fears
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 21
Summary
Three days before Abiy Ahmed’s election win was confirmed, Ethiopia unveiled Makatet, a plan to give more than 1.1 million refugees better access to education, healthcare and jobs so they can become self-reliant residents.
UN refugee agency chief Barham Salih called it the most ambitious effort yet to tackle long-term displacement, arguing aid cuts and the reality that 70% of the world’s 41.6 million refugees have been stranded at least five years make old models unworkable.
In western Ethiopia, though, Sudanese refugees in Ura camp say the nearby RSF presence has followed them across the border: 14,500 people live there, and some fear militia members have already entered the camp and are compiling kill lists.
Similar insecurity shadows other camps, including Jewi in Gambela, where South Sudanese refugees say local attacks and sexual violence make even searching for food dangerous.
If Makatet can deliver safety and livelihoods inside Ethiopia’s 24 camps, analysts say it could offer Western policymakers an alternative to Europe’s deterrence-focused migration model.
Can Ethiopia's refugee haven succeed while it allegedly hosts a training camp for their persecutors?
As the UAE fuels Sudan's war through Ethiopia, is a larger regional conflict now unavoidable?
From Crisis to Opportunity: Ethiopia’s Makatet Roadmap and the Future of Refugee Integration in the Horn of Africa
Overview
Ethiopia is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis as escalating regional instability leads to successive waves of displacement, especially in the Gambella region. This fragile environment, already marked by economic and climate vulnerabilities, is now under greater strain from large influxes of refugees, particularly from South Sudan. The growing number of arrivals has overwhelmed basic services and infrastructure, making it harder to meet essential needs. As a result, Ethiopia’s humanitarian landscape is profoundly impacted, with both refugees and host communities struggling to access vital support and resources.