UNHCR struggling to meet needed funds for refugees in Ethiopia

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Wednesday its only received 15 percent of the 335.8 million U.S. dollars it needs to meet the needs of refugees in Ethiopia.

In a press statement sent to Xinhua, UNHCR said the funds are needed to meet the basic nutritional needs, as well as the education, health and accommodation needs of refugees in Ethiopia.

The UNHCR has as of April 30 registered 915,073 refugees in Ethiopia, most of whom are housed in refugee camps in six regional states.

Ethiopia currently hosts the second largest refugee population in Africa, next to Uganda. Refugees in Ethiopia primarily come from Eritrea, South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan, according to figures from the Ethiopian government.

Conflict and drought in neighboring countries continues to force people to seek refuge in Ethiopia, which has a long tradition of hosting refugees. In the first fourth months of 2018, Ethiopia received 24,775 refugees.
SOURCE: XINHUA