Sudanese refugees live in difficult conditions in Ethiopia
Source: infomigrants.net
Since the outbreak of war in Sudan more than two years ago, millions of people have fled to neighboring countries, including Ethiopia. Osman, Amjad, and Wajdan have settled in the capital, Addis Ababa, and say they are now at a "dead end" due to the complex administrative situation and severe lack of resources.
Osman points to an open gray gate on the edge of a dusty sidewalk, above which is a faded canvas sign reading "Tirosina Mosque." "I sleep here every morning," he explains. "I arrive at 5 a.m. and shortly before noon, I return to the street." It has been six months since this 22-year-old Sudanese man arrived in Addis Ababa. "I didnt choose Ethiopia. I left in a hurry because the Sudanese army was looking for me. Soldiers came to my parents house several times to take me, but I wasnt there each time. But my father told me the situation was too dangerous, Leave the country and dont come back. A few days later, I was in the Asosa refugee camp" in Ethiopia.
Like Osman, more than 4 million people have left Sudan, according to the United Nations, since the outbreak of war in Sudan two years ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Eugene Byun, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), stated on June 3 that this represents "the largest displacement crisis in the world." According to the UNHCR, just over 163,000 people, including 73,000 Sudanese, have fled to Ethiopia.
According to Tariq Argaz, a communications officer with the UNHCR in Ethiopia, those wishing to apply for asylum must register at designated registration points. These are located along the border, in Metemma in the Amhara region, or in Kurmuk in the Benishangul-Gumuz region in western Ethiopia. While awaiting refugee status, migrants wait in camps around Aura and Aftet, where they can receive shelter, food, and medical care.
But not all migrants want to live in the designated camps. In the Amhara region, the conflict between the Fano (regional militia) and the federal army is affecting refugees and asylum seekers, who find themselves caught in the middle of a new violent conflict. According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, camps were attacked by "bandits and militias," committing "murder, beatings, looting, and kidnapping for ransom and forced labor." Many refugees therefore prefer to leave these areas for safer urban areas.
"I ended up on the street."
Osman, a registered refugee, left his camp near Assosa after five months because he "couldnt bear the wait or the days spent inside a tent in the heat."
His friend Amjad also chose Addis Ababa. This slender 25-year-old, originally from Khartoum, where he worked as a graphic designer, was also killed. His attempts to register in the Aura camp were unsuccessful. "I was asked to wait, but it took days. So I changed my mind and came to the capital on a tourist visa. I thought I could work, earn some money, and complete my procedures here. But I ended up on the street," he says.
"Currently, registration in Addis Ababa is complicated for Sudanese refugees," Tariq Argaz confirms. An Ethiopian immigration lawyer, who requested anonymity, also confirms that this process is "illegal under international law. We cannot prevent people from submitting asylum claims."
Without the money to renew his tourist visa, Amjad finds himself without valid documents. "I could return to Assosa to complete the procedures in the camp, but I dont have enough money for that trip. The only solution here is to get a new visa. But even then, I cannot afford it. In Sudan, I have only my older brother, the only survivor from my family, and he cannot send me any money. I am at a loss."
Until the fall of last year, Sudanese migrants could live outside the camps without a visa, thanks to a government decision issued at the beginning of the war in Sudan. However, since October 2024, this exemption has been suspended, and individuals not recognized as refugees who wish to live outside the camps must pay a visa fee of 100, renewed monthly. A fine of 10 per day is also charged for those whose permits have expired.
This situation is unbearable for the vast majority of migrants, and it has plunged Wijdan into a cycle of anxiety and stress. After beginning family reunification procedures while still in Sudan, the young woman was forced to travel to Addis Ababa to complete the process, as the French embassy in Sudan had been relocated to the Ethiopian capital due to the war. Upon arriving in Ethiopia, Wijdan did not register her refugee status in the camps, expecting to stay only a few months in Ethiopia before joining her husband, who had taken refuge in France.
But a few months ago, her application was rejected, prompting her to appeal to the Nantes Administrative Court (France). Meanwhile, Wijdans debts are piling up, particularly with the Ethiopian Immigration Service, reaching 5,320. "I cant pay this debt, but how do I explain it to them? I only speak Arabic, and I have no one to help me. My only hope is to join my husband one day. But this wait is unbearable. I just want to live a normal life, away from war and loneliness. Thats all."
"I regret leaving Sudan."
Despite an Ethiopian law passed in 2019 allowing him to work and open a bank account, Osman has been unable to find a job. Today, he shares Wijdans dream: "I really want to leave Ethiopia. Why not build my life in Europe or Canada? I would also like to return to Russia."
In 2023, Osman obtained a study visa for Russia and stayed there for a few months before attempting to enter the European Union via Poland. However, he was arrested by Belarusian border guards in the forest, and the hut where he was held was set on fire. The young Sudanese man spent several months in the hospital treating his injuries before being deported to Sudan, just before the war began.
With the lack of adequate support in Sudans neighboring countries, some refugees are forced to continue searching elsewhere, including Libya and Europe, according to a statement from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
As for Amjad, he struggles to secure a better future. "When I see my situation here, I regret leaving," he admits, with a lump in his throat. "But the war prevents me from returning. Last month, one of my brothers died. All I wanted was to find a stable place where I could work and earn a living. But in the end, I depend entirely on the generosity of people, who pay me for a meal or a cup of coffee, and sometimes a night in a hotel. Im going crazy."
