Ethiopia has welcomed new sets of Somalian refugees who have crossed the border in search of safety and assistance following the escalation of armed violence in their hometowns.
Development Diaries reports that the government of Ethiopia generously allocated 400 hectares, some 50 kilometres from the border in Mirqaan, for refugees to settle and access existing services.
Since clashes started in mid-February this year, thousands of people have arrived in the Somali region of Ethiopia seeking safety.
As of last week, 91,000 people had been registered by Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) with support from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
With new refugees arriving in overcrowded camps, relocation efforts to move about 1,036 vulnerable people across border areas have begun.
‘The government of Ethiopia has generously allocated 400 hectares where refugees can settle and access existing services, such as health care, water and education’, UNHCR’s spokesperson, Olga Sarrado, said.
It is understood that the site is being developed with the help of volunteers from the local community.
The elderly, women and children continue to bear the brunt of the violence in Somalia, among them 3,400 unaccompanied and separated children and adolescents who have fled the violence.
While many refugees are being hosted by Ethiopian families in their homes, others who crossed into Ethiopia remain in overcrowded shelters or are sleeping outdoors and require urgent assistance.
The establishment of the Mirqaan site will respond to these ever-increasing needs and facilitate the provision of assistance – including shelter, core relief items, food and water – to those without ties to the community.
Source: UNHCR
Photo source: UNHCR
