Ethiopia is one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa, sheltering 758,199 registered refugees and asylum seekers as of 31 March 2020.

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Following the Government’s decision to close all land borders as part of efforts to prevent the spread of corona virus, UNHCR issued a statement, acknowledging the decision as a necessary measure, but appealed to the Government to consider the protection needs of asylum seekers while implementing the same.

UNHCR is scaling up efforts to increase capacity to prevent and limit the potential spread of COVID-19 among the nearly 760,000 refugees in Ethiopia. Prioritized areas of preparedness requiring additional resources include provision of soap and ensuring adequate water supply, procurement of medical supplies, and enhancing community awareness.

Working with partners

• UNHCR's main government counterpart to ensure the protection of refugees in Ethiopia is the Agency for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA), within the Ministry of Peace. UNHCR also works in close coordination with 57 humanitarian and development partners, and is part of the Humanitarian Country Team in Ethiopia where refugee programmes are discussed strategically to ensure the needs of refugees are adequately presented and addressed across the UN System. UNHCR builds on a well-established coordination forum, including the inter-sector Refugee Coordination Group, together with national and regional sector working groups. As part of the GCR/CRRF, UNHCR is furthering partnerships with line ministries, regional and local authorities, as well as development partners and the private sector.