Economy
Lack of Awareness Limits Refugee Work Rights
Capital Ethiopia · 3 hours ago · Read the Full Story on Capital Ethiopia
AI SUMMARY
Although legal frameworks exist in Ethiopia allowing refugees to participate in the private sector, officials report that a lack of awareness continues to hinder their effective implementation.
- Ethiopia is hosting the Africa Private Sector Forum for Refugees from November 16 to 18, 2026.
- The forum is organized by UNHCR, the Amahoro Coalition, and Inkomoko, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
- Dawit Tilahun, Managing Director of Inkomoko’s Ethiopia office, stated that the primary challenge is not the absence of legal frameworks but a lack of awareness and implementation support.
- Efforts are underway with ministries including Trade and Regional Integration, Revenues, and Labor and Skills to enforce these legal frameworks.
- Ethiopia enacted the Refugees Proclamation No. 1110/2019 to grant recognized refugees and asylum seekers the right to work in sectors such as agriculture, industry, small and micro-enterprises, handicrafts, and trade.
- The Refugee and Returnee Service issued Directive No. 1019/2024 to support the implementation of the refugees' right to work.
- The upcoming forum will also encompass internal displaced persons alongside refugees, aiming to encourage private sector engagement such as banks, microfinance institutions, and telecommunication companies in those regions.
- Previous editions of the forum were held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2021; Accra, Ghana in 2023; and Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.
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