ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia is banning street begging by Syrian nationals who have startled people by showing up in growing numbers in recent months in major cities around hotels and mosques. “We are now coordinating our security services to effectively ban Syrian citizens from begging. Some 560 Syrians entered between mid-August and mid-December and the majority leave when their tourist visas expire, said the deputy, Yemane Gebremeskel. While street begging is not illegal in Ethiopia — there is a large presence of children — the act of entering the country as a tourist and begging is, he said. Ethiopia currently hosts 900,000 refugees mainly from neighboring Somalia, South Sudan, Eritrea and Sudan.

Source: Egypt Independent January 25, 2019 14:26 UTC