Attachments
Executive Summary
As of end‑December 2025, Ethiopia hosted an estimated 1.12 million refugees and asylum‑seekers, primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan, alongside increasing numbers of Ethiopian returnees fleeing conflict in neighboring countries. Continued arrivals from Sudan, increased arrivals from South Sudan into Gambella due to insecurity and renewed conflict, and new arrivals from Somalia contributed to sustained humanitarian pressures throughout 2025. This has placed additional strain on national systems already contending with internal displacement, climate shocks, economic pressures, and widespread food insecurity. Despite these constraints, Ethiopia has maintained its open‑door asylum policy and continues to advance the progressive commitments outlined in the 2019 Refugee Proclamation and the pledges made at the 2019 and 2023 Global Refugee Forums, reinforcing the country’s longstanding dedication to protection and international solidarity.In 2026, the interagency response will support 1,213,385 refugees and asylum‑seekers, 29,116 returnees, and 439,226 host community members through a comprehensive and solutions‑oriented approach that strengthens national systems while addressing urgent needs. Guided by the Government of Ethiopia’s leadership and the draft Makatet roadmap, the response continues to expand refugee inclusion in national services, including education, health, digital identity systems, and financial systems.
In 2025, meaningful progress was made in advancing refugee inclusion, with improvements in access to national education, digital identity systems, skills development opportunities, and digital connectivity across refugee‑hosting areas. These milestones underscore Ethiopia’s commitment to socio‑economic inclusion, peaceful coexistence, and resilience-building for both refugees and local communities.
However, significant pressures persist. Funding constraints have resulted in reduced food rations, deteriorating shelter conditions, overstretched water systems, and limited access to essential health and nutrition services. Rising protection risks including child protection concerns, gender‑based violence, movement-related risks, and barriers to documentation require urgent and sustained investment. Livelihood opportunities remain limited, with many refugees residing in remote areas with thin markets and high unemployment, underscoring the need for expanded access to employment, financial inclusion, and market-linked skills development. Climate-related hazards continue to impact settlements, intensifying environmental degradation and compounding vulnerabilities among displaced and host communities.
The 2026 CRRP sets out a coordinated, multisectoral plan that balances immediate humanitarian needs with long‑term pathways toward inclusion and self‑reliance. Priorities include safeguarding access to asylum and documentation; strengthening child protection, GBV response, and community-based protection; sustaining education and health services; improving WASH and shelter systems; expanding clean energy and climate‑resilient solutions; and advancing durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, resettlement, and complementary pathways.
The response is coordinated through the Refugee Coordination Model, co‑led by the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and UNHCR, uniting 38 partners and refugee-led organizations across national and field structures. Together, they require USD 577.8 million in 2026 to sustain essential services, reinforce national capacities, and promote stability, resilience, and opportunity for 1.68 million people. Continued international support remains critical to preserve Ethiopia’s protection space, uphold shared responsibility, and enable refugees and host communities to thrive.