Photo Credit: Xinhua News Agency

NNA News – Ethiopia has unveiled an ambitious five-year plan aimed at transforming how refugees are supported, positioning inclusion and self-reliance at the center of its refugee response strategy. The newly launched Makatet Roadmap, developed in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), seeks to integrate refugees and asylum seekers into Ethiopia's national systems while strengthening the resilience of host communities.

The initiative represents a shift away from traditional refugee camp models, with authorities aiming to transform existing settlements into more sustainable communities where refugees can access education, healthcare, employment opportunities and public services alongside local residents.

Speaking at the launch in Addis Ababa, Director General of Ethiopia's Refugees and Returnees Service, Teyiba Hassen, said the roadmap is intended to address long-standing challenges associated with fragmented humanitarian assistance. "The Makatet Roadmap will respond to decades of fragmented assistance and serve as a model where refugees and host communities grow together under a unified, well-coordinated, government-led system," Hassen said.

She explained that integrating refugees into national service delivery systems would improve access to education, livelihoods and essential services while promoting greater social and economic inclusion. The initiative comes as African countries increasingly explore alternatives to long-term aid dependence for displaced populations. Across the continent, millions of refugees remain in protracted displacement situations, often spending years or even decades in camps with limited economic opportunities. 

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih welcomed the Ethiopian initiative, describing it as a practical framework for translating refugee inclusion policies into tangible development outcomes."The Makatet Roadmap serves as a blueprint for translating national vision into practical action, creating greater opportunities for refugees and host communities alike," Salih said.

He added that the roadmap aligns with broader international efforts to reduce aid dependency by expanding opportunities for displaced populations to become economically active members of society. Ethiopia remains one of Africa's largest refugee-hosting nations, currently accommodating more than 1.1 million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan.

The launch of the roadmap reflects a growing recognition that refugee management is increasingly linked to broader development goals, including job creation, service delivery and social cohesion. Analysts say successful implementation could position Ethiopia as a model for refugee inclusion across Africa, particularly as displacement levels continue to rise due to conflict, climate change and political instability.