ጭልፊቱ - “ብርሃኑ ነጋ የዘመናችን ሙሴ!”
Posted: 24 Aug 2025, 23:00
Selam/ wrote: ↑24 Aug 2025, 22:56
An Ethiopian passport holder’s annual residence permit issued by Lebanon. John Owens for VOA/Wikimedia Commons
250,000 Ethiopians migrate every year: what drives them and what needs to change
Published: August 24, 2025 12:45am EDT
Girmachew Adugna, Addis Ababa University
Migration is increasingly replacing the traditional, education-focused life paths that shaped previous generations in Ethiopia. In the past, becoming a civil servant after completing secondary and tertiary education was seen as both socially respected and economically rewarding.
Although access to education at all levels has expanded in recent decades, its value has diminished as many graduates struggle to find employment and decent livelihood opportunities. In Ethiopia, individuals under the age of 30 comprise approximately 70% of the total population, and the urban youth unemployment rate stood at around 25.3% as of 2022.
The consequences are often tragic.
Irregular migration involving overcrowded and unseaworthy boats is responsible for a rising number of deaths at sea. In the first six months of 2025 alone, more than 350 migrants lost their lives while attempting the crossing over the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea from the Horn of Africa. A tragic incident on 3 August claimed the lives of around 102 migrants, most of whom were Ethiopian.
I have been studying Ethiopian migration for more than a decade. In this article, I explore why many people choose irregular migration over legal pathways. I also consider what the Ethiopian government should be doing to manage the increasing number of young people choosing to leave the country for work.
Ethiopia serves as a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants. About 250,000 Ethiopians migrate annually.
https://theconversation.com/250-000-eth ... nge-263465
