Trio Sign Data Sharing Deal to Better Serve Refugees in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA – The National ID Program, the Ethiopian and the UN refugee agencies signed a tripartite data-sharing agreement to better serve refugees in the East African nation.

The tripartite agreement is aimed at helping refugees easily access basic services such as health insurance, education, banking, and driving, among other things.

Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) chief Teyiba Hassen stressed that the agreement is a testimony to Ethiopia’s commitment to better protect refugees and help them enjoy their rights,

Ethiopia is implementing a Digital Identification, also known as Fayda ID, which has recently become the Primary ID in finance, education, and health sectors.

The National ID Program plans to issue the Digital ID to 90 million people including refugees until 2024.

UNHCR Representative to Ethiopia Andrew Mbogori reckoned that the move is a big milestone in the Ethiopia refugee operation.

He vowed that UNHCR would keep working with the Government of Ethiopia to translate the accord into action.

Ethiopia currently hosts nearly a million refugees and asylum seekers mainly from neighboring countries.