With support from the United Nations Delivering Results Together-Fund, IOM is providing technical support to the Government of Ethiopia in developing the country’s first-ever Migration Profile.

Migration profiles are country-owned tools that provide a framework and foundation for monitoring and managing migration. In addition to providing a comprehensive "at a glance" overview of countries’ migration situation, migration profiles suggest approaches to setting up systems and mechanisms for tracking migration over time, as well as evaluating the link between migration and development and assessing the socio-economic impact of migration. The final document that will come out of this process will identify and help develop strategies to address data and policy development needs to encourage evidence-based migration policy-making.

In November 2015, in close collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia, IOM launched the Migration Profile initiative for Ethiopia. It is envisioned that the initiative will be carried out in two phases, the first of which consists of a preliminary assessment of the existing migration framework, including data, policies, and governance structures, in Ethiopia.

The first phase was completed and a validation workshop was held on 11 April 2016 in Addis Ababa to present and discuss the preliminary findings with the members of the Technical Working Group (TWG) representing various government ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Justice, Labour and Social Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Education, the Administration for Returnees and Refugees Affairs, among others, as well as relevant UN agencies and NGOs. The preliminary assessment identifies gaps and strengths in migration data management in Ethiopia and maps out the migration management and governance system and structures.

In his opening remarks, His Excellency Mesfin Abebe, State Minister of Justice of Ethiopia and Chair of the TWG, expressed his appreciation for the commitment of TWG members and for IOM’s technical support in this initiative, which should fill the information gap and shed light on mixed migration trends in Ethiopia.

The IOM consultant in charge of the initiative, Dr. Mehari Taddele, presented the preliminary findings, drawing attention to sources of migration data in the country, data-collection and maintenance infrastructure at all government levels, information-sharing mechanisms as well as the use of migration data by the Government. He also made action-oriented recommendations on how to enhance the use of migration data for policy formulation and harness the development potential of migration for Ethiopia. Furthermore, Dr. Mehari underlined the unique dynamics that Ethiopia faces as one of the main migrant source countries and host to the highest number of refugees in the region.

The identified push and pull factors include, inter alia, unemployment, peer and family pressure, poverty and low income, high income differentials with destination countries, low public awareness on realities in countries of destination, divorce and interfamily quarrels, and inducement by traffickers and smugglers.

Following the incorporation of technical feedback received from TWG members and IOM, the report will be finalized, leading to the official closure of Phase I of the Migration Profile Initiative. Phase II will focus on the development of a comprehensive document. Based on the identified migration data gaps, comprehensive data collection will be conducted in order to enhance the knowledge base on mixed migration, including the identification of trends, root causes, socioeconomic impact, and migration governance and partnership.