Ethiopia's Refugees and Returnees Service has pledged to complete the issuance of digital identification cards to more than 1.1 million refugees within a year, local media reported, citing Deputy Director-General of the RRS, Biruhtesfa Mulugeta.
Biruhtesfa Mulugeta emphasized that the new digital refugee ID will facilitate access to essential services in Ethiopia.
The move towards digital IDs is a response to the challenges faced by refugees, including forged documents and a cumbersome paper-based system hindering access to services, he pointed out. Biruhtesfa Mulugeta also highlighted that the digital IDs will establish a secure and organized information system, thereby addressing the obstacles.
The director added that digital IDs will empower refugees to more actively participate in Ethiopian society, leading to social and economic benefits.
Ethiopia is the third-largest refugee hosting country in Africa, home to refugees and asylum seekers mainly from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, according to the UN refugee agency.
In parallel with the refugee reception, Ethiopia is implementing a homecoming program, the first phase of which took place from December 30 to February 8, 2024.
Under the first phase, more than 74,000 of second-generation Ethiopian diaspora have visited their ancestral homeland to participate in the affairs of the country by knowing the nation and being connected to its identity, according to the authorities.