The Ethiopian Refugees Stranded in Sudan

Over 70,000 Ethiopian refugees are stranded in Sudan amidst escalating conflicts. The complex challenges of repatriating them emphasizes the need for coordinated legal, humanitarian and diplomatic interventions. 

On 3 November 2022, the Ethiopian federal government signed a cessation of hostilities with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), following a two-year civil war that started in 2020. A full peace agreement between the parties was signed nine days later on 12 November 2022. Since then, an interim government has been installed in Tigray State by the Federal Government to implement the peace plan, with Getachew Reda, TPLF’s regional head, appointed as the head of the interim government. 

The conflict between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF, which centred in the northern Tigray region, forced many civilians to flee to neighbouring Sudan. Despite limited resources, the Sudanese government, with the help of international and humanitarian organizations, voluntarily accepted Tigrayan refugees, housing them in Kassala, Gedaref, and Blue Nile states. An estimated 60,000-70,000 people fled Tigray, with many finding refuge in camps in Kassala and Gedaref. 

By the end of November 2022, when the cessation of hostilities was signed, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported the presence of 70,935 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers in Sudan, predominantly Tigrayans. The situation worsened in 2023, when Sudan descended into another civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo also known as Hemedti. Clashes erupted across several states, including Gedaref, home to thousands of Ethiopian refugees. 

The deteriorating security situation in Sudan, particularly with RSF attacks on towns near Gedaref, has heightened concerns among refugees. In July 2024, protests erupted in Tigray, with civil organizations demanding the Ethiopian government prioritize the repatriation of Ethiopian refugees stranded in eastern Sudan...