Ethiopia has taken a significant step towards improving the livelihoods of refugees and asylum seekers by passing a new directive that allows them to work legally in the country. The directive, known as Directive No. 1019/2024, focuses on the “Right to Work of Recognized Refuges and Asylum Seekers” and aims to address the challenges faced by refuges seeking legal employment opportunities.

On August 20, 2024, the Refugee and Returnees Service, in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency, reported that Ethiopia hosts over one million refugees and asylum seekers, making it the third-largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. Many of these individuals have been displaced by civil conflict and crises in neighboring countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan.

Historically, refugees in Ethiopia have faced restrictions on their movement and employment, often confined to refugee camps due to a lack of legal work opportunities. Solomon Soka, the State Minister for Labor and Skills, announced the approval of the new directive, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing jobs for refugees. “We are committed to providing jobs as a country, just as our citizens are given jobs when they migrate abroad,” he stated.

The implementation of this directive will be overseen primarily by the Federal Refuges and Returnees Service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Skills, the Investment Commission, the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, and the Ministry of Revenue. 

Ethiopia’s previous Refugee Proclamation 1110/2019 granted the right to work for refugees and asylum seekers, but for five years, there was no detailed procedure in place to facilitate this right. The new directive aims to transition recognized refugees and asylum seekers from reliance on welfare to becoming productive and independent members of society, ultimately benefiting the local economy.