REFUGEES' PREFERENCE OF ETHIOPIA AS A DESTINATION: THE CASE OF SHERKOLE REFUGEE CAMP IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Ethiopia is the second largest host of the refugee population in Africa, next to Uganda. Currently, there are several refugee camps in almost all directions of the country. They can be categorized as Somali refugee camps (Eastern camps), Sudanese refugee camps (Western camps), and Eritrean refugee camps (Northern camps). In all of the refugee camps in Ethiopia, as their name implies the camps are established to shelter refugees from neighboring countries who seek protection in Ethiopia. In the Western camps, there are refugee settlements in two regions of the country, i.e., Gambella and Benishangul- Gumuz regional states. The Western camps are also predominantly occupied by Sudanese and South Sudanese refugees since the two regions share a border with these countries. However, one of the refugee camps found in the Benishngul-Gumuz region has unique characteristics since it is a destination for refugees from countries that do not share a direct border. This article is going to argue that other than crossing the immediate border to seek safety and protection there are also additional factors that contribute to choosing a destination for refugees. Taking the diversity of refugees’ nationality in the Sherkole refugee camp I argued that there are multiple factors for attracting refugees to Ethiopia. A qualitative methodology has been used to explore the issue. Specifically in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and Focus group Discussions were the main sources of information. The result of this research shows that in addition to sharing a border, the refugee policy of the destination, historical relationship, as well as economic opportunities, was factors that attracted refugee from non-neighboring countries to Ethiopia.