Migration across Africa is a complex and evolving phenomenon, shaped by economic hardship, political instability, and the mounting pressures of climate change. While public discourse often focuses on African migration to Europe, research shows that most migration occurs within the continent itself. Economic opportunity is a primary driver, with urban centers emerging as major destinations for those seeking a better life.



In the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia stands at the crossroads of migration, with cycles of drought, conflict, and limited economic prospects propelling both internal displacement and cross-border movements. Many Ethiopian migrants travel along the Eastern Corridor toward the Arabian Peninsula, while others take alternative routes spanning the continent.

Against this backdrop, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), launched the Five-Year Joint Strategic Plan on Migration in Ethiopia (2025–2029) and the National Communication Strategy to address irregular migration and promote safer alternatives. The event, held on March 26 at the Sheraton Addis, brought together key stakeholders, including Minister of MoWSA Ergogie Tesfaye, Ambassador Christine Pirenne of the Netherlands, and representatives from various diplomatic missions.

Ergogie emphasized the crucial role of international partners, government agencies, and local communities in mitigating the risks of irregular migration.

“We firmly believe that our strategic approach will harmonize messaging, ensure the efficient use of resources, and ultimately achieve a greater impact,” she said. She urged all stakeholders to enhance efforts by providing accurate information and expanding economic opportunities for Ethiopian migrants.

Organizers of the event stressed that the new initiatives aim to dissuade irregular migration among African youth while promoting lawful migration pathways. Public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and targeted media outreach will be central to the success of the Communication Strategy and the Five-Year Plan. They also underscored the importance of securing funding from international donors and diplomatic partners.

The strategies, officials noted, were developed through comprehensive research, incorporating input from diverse stakeholders, including young people, students, religious institutions, and community leaders. A key component will be leveraging media platforms to reach potential migrants, their families, and relevant authorities.

Young people account for the majority of African migrants, with an estimated 60 percent of irregular migrants under the age of 35, the Handbook reveals. While migration remains a significant phenomenon, data suggests that most African migrants do not embark on perilous sea crossings but rather move across land borders. In 2017, for instance, 53 percent of African migrants remained within the continent, while nearly a quarter traveled to Europe and 12.2 percent migrated to Asia.

By 2019, seven African nations had each hosted over a million international migrants, with South Africa leading at 4.2 million, followed by Côte d’Ivoire (2.5 million), Uganda (1.7 million), Nigeria and Ethiopia (1.3 million each), and Sudan (1.2 million). Kenya, by comparison, hosted just one percent of the continent’s migrants.

The Five-Year Plan highlights Ethiopia’s predominantly youthful demographic—70 percent of its estimated 126 million people are under 30. However, severe socioeconomic challenges, political instability, and environmental stressors continue to fuel irregular migration. Between 2019 and 2021, the World Bank estimated that 27 percent of Ethiopians lived on less than USD 1.90 per day, below the international poverty line, while youth unemployment hovered around 50 percent.

For many young Ethiopians, irregular migration has become an escape route from poverty, particularly in rural areas where economic opportunities are scarce. According to the country’s labor migration survey, 78 percent of the 839,000 Ethiopians who migrated between 2016 and 2021 were between the ages of 15 and 29. The survey, detailed in the Communication Strategy Handbook, underscores the three primary migration routes used by Ethiopian migrants: the eastern route to the Middle East via the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden, the southern route to South Africa, and the northern route through Sudan and the Sahara, often leading to Europe.

The choice of route, the report notes, is shaped by a combination of income, social status, migration history, and international connections. Those with limited resources and fewer alternatives are often forced to take the most perilous paths.

At the launch event, Dereje Tegeyibelu, CEO for the Prevention of Human Trafficking and the Affairs of Returned Citizens at MoWSA, presented the National Communication Strategy, emphasizing the need for community-wide engagement. “Migration-related communication efforts are most effective when they involve entire communities, organizations, and policymakers,” he said. According to him, a comprehensive communication approach enhances knowledge, shifts attitudes, and fosters meaningful dialogue, shaping social norms toward safer migration practices.

Dereje added that the strategy is designed not only to increase awareness among potential migrants and their families but also to establish evaluation benchmarks to measure its impact before and after implementation. “One of its key objectives is to educate communities about safe, regular, and orderly migration while promoting solutions such as education, skills training, and job creation,” he said.

Memory Mwale, senior program officer for protection at IOM, underscored the urgency of the issue, stating that the Strategic Plan aligns with Ethiopia’s efforts to address migrant vulnerabilities, protect people on the move, and save lives. She noted that the plan also facilitates regular migration pathways while ensuring the rights and well-being of migrants.

Highlighting the scale of migration, Mwale revealed that an average of 10,000 Ethiopian migrants returned home each month in 2023. Between 2019 and 2025, she said, a total of 500,000 Ethiopians have returned to the country, though economic hardship remains the leading cause of migration. “In 2023 alone, over 200,000 Ethiopian youth migrated via the eastern route, with men making up the majority,” she noted.

Presenters also stressed that Ethiopia, as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, prioritizes the confidential collection and management of migrant and returnee data under the Strategic Plan.

Dereje further revealed that between 150,000 and 200,000 Ethiopian youth migrate through the eastern route annually, while other routes remain active. Many endure severe hardships along the way. “Young migrants, particularly girls, are easy targets for border patrols and human traffickers,” he said. “Women often face exploitative labor, sexual slavery, or imprisonment in foreign countries.”

Efforts to repatriate Ethiopian migrants are already underway. Dereje highlighted that two phases of return operations have successfully brought back nearly 300,000 Ethiopian migrants from various countries, with an additional 50,000 migrants scheduled for repatriation. “With three flights per week, we aim to bring home 1,000 returnees every week,” he told The Reporter.

While economic hardship and unemployment fuel migration, Dereje emphasized that misinformation spread by human traffickers remains one of the greatest challenges. He warned that young people from rural areas are particularly vulnerable, as traffickers lure them with false promises of well-paying jobs abroad.

Today, thousands of Ethiopian youth continue to risk their lives on treacherous migration routes, only to face exploitation, abuse, and deportation. With over 200,000 migrants using the eastern route in a single year and countless others stranded abroad, the crisis demands an urgent, coordinated response.