“We differentiate between the government and its people,” said Estifanos Gebremedhin, of Ethiopia’s refugee agency, the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (Arra). In February 2017 alone, for example, 3,367 Eritrean refugees arrived in Ethiopia, according to Arra. About 165,000 Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers currently reside in Ethiopia, according to the UN. But despite the apparent welcome given to Eritrean refugees, frictions remain. “Ethiopia is moving very seriously to implement the pledges which will have a profound, and potentially very positive, effect, not only on Eritrean refugees but on all refugees in Ethiopia,” Riggan said.

Source: Ethiopian News July 15, 2017 00:56 UTC