President Taye holds talks with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi

Addis Ababa, June 13, 2025 (FMC) — President Taye Atske Selassie and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi discussed about refugees in Ethiopia on Friday.

The leaders discussed collaborative approaches in managing and addressing the multifaceted challenges facing refugees in the region.

In this regard, they emphasized the need for strengthening commitments from both sides in addressing refugee crises and enhancing humanitarian efforts, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in managing refugee situations.

Highlighting the efforts of Ethiopia in providing assistance for refugees fleeing conflict, President Taye expressed gratitude to UNHCR’s support and collaboration in addressing the challenges refugees face in the region.

The president stressed the need for further strengthening partnerships to improve the lives of refugees in Ethiopia.

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception by the president, High Commissioner Grandi said he had fruitful discussion regarding the significant refugee population in Ethiopia that exceeds 1.1 million.

He commended Ethiopia for its advancements in refugee protection, acknowledging the immense challenges that the country is facing in accommodating such a large number of refugees, particularly in light of recent budgetary reductions from the United States and other donor nations.

Despite these difficulties, the high commissioner affirmed that the UNHCR remains fully committed to supporting the Ethiopian government during this critical time.

“We will continue to support Ethiopia because this is a difficult time with all the budgetary reductions that we have to face because of the United States of America and other donors reducing their assistance. But I assure Mr. President that we are completely engaged to continue to support the Government of Ethiopia.”

On the other hand, Grandi praised Ethiopia’s inclusive approach toward refugees, noting that the country provides for refugees access to education, healthcare, documentation, and employment opportunities.

He emphasized the need for ongoing international assistance, underlining that Ethiopia’s efforts to include refugees necessitate a robust support system which improves the lives of refugees.

The high commissioner mentioned UNHCR’s collaboration with the World Bank and other organizations to mobilize resources effectively and ensure continued aid for both refugees and internally displaced people in the country.

“Ethiopia is receiving and including refugees. This requires international assistance. We mobilize a lot through the World Bank and others, but we will continue to do that.

I am very pleased about the cooperation that we are having with the Government of Ethiopia in dealing with refugees and with internally displaced people here in the country,” Grandi concluded.