Ethiopia: Response to Internal Displacement, January – December 2022

The DTM National Displacement report 141 indicates that, as of September 2022, an estimated total number of 2.73 million IDPs were identified across 11 regions of the country because of conflict and natural disaster, while 1.88 million have returned across nine regions to their place of origin seeking durable solutions. However, without improved humanitarian access, cessation of conflict, and an opportunity for communities to recovery and resilience, the humanitarian needs are likely to increase along with the risk of protracted displacement.

In the northern part of Ethiopia, the 4 th quarter of the year saw the signing of a Peace Agreement by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) which is aimed to achieve a “lasting peace through permanent cessation of hostilities”. The agreement ended a 2-year-long conflict that has destroyed the lives and livelihood of millions of Ethiopians and displaced many, including refugees. By end of 2022 public services are gradually being restored, telecommunications and electricity supply have been restored in several towns, Ethiopian Airlines resumed passenger commercial flights to Mekelle and Shire, and Banking services resumed in some areas of Western Tigray and in Shire, Alamata, and Korem.

Meanwhile, the western part of Oromia and some parts of the Benishangul Gumuz and the Somali regions have been vulnerable to violent attacks by armed groups that contributed to loss of lives, damaged properties, and livelihoods, disrupted essential social services, and forced people into displacement within and out of the region origin. Similarly, some parts of the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ region (SNNPR), such as Konso, also witnessed violent communal conflicts, which led to displacement and damages to livelihoods and public infrastructures.

Despite the ongoing challenges due to insecurity constituting major impediment to relief operations, UNHCR’s interventions, implemented with our partners and in close coordination with authorities, have reached over 1,206,881 people with protection services, shelter, and core relief support, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and legal support across the country in the fourth quarter of the year.

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees