Why Refugees Choose Ethiopia as their Destination? Lesson from Sherkole Refugee Camp of Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is the second largest host of refugee populations in Africa, next to Uganda. Currently, there are a number of refugee camps in almost all directions of the country. They can be categorized as Somali refugee camps (Eastern camps), Sudanese refugee camps (Western camps), and Eritrean refugee camps (Northern camps). All of the refugee camps in Ethiopia as their names imply, are established to shelter refugees from neighboring countries who seek protection in Ethiopia. In the Western camps, there are refugee settlements in two regions of the country, i.e., Gambella and Benishangul- Gumuz regional states. The Western camps are predominantly occupied by Sudanese and South Sudanese refugees since the two regions share a border with these countries. However, one of the refugee camps found in Benishngul-Gumuz region has unique characteristics since it is a destination for refugees from countries that do not share a direct border. This article argues that, other than crossing the immediate border to seek safety and protection, there are also additional factors that contribute to choosing a destination for refugees. These factors include different narratives refugees perceive about their destination and political and economic situation in the refugees’ destination. Qualitative methodology was used to explore the issue. In particular in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were the main sources of information. The results of this research show that in addition to sharing a border, the refugee policy of the destination, historical relationships as well as economic opportunities were factors that attracted refugees from non-neighboring countries to Ethiopia.