Last Change:
05/14/2025
Refugees Proclamation No.1110/2019
Year: 2019
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Asylum, Freedom of movement, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Family life, Documentation
Description
The Previous Refugee Proclamation, Proc. No. 409/2004 was repealed by the current Refugee Proclamation, Proc. No. 1110/2019 in Feb. 2019. The law was enacted with a view to have a legal framework that is in line with international standards and provides better protection to refugees and promotes sustainable solutions. The Refugee Proclamation recognizes a wide range of rights of refugees and asylum seekers including, inter alia, the right to work, access to documentation, freedom of movement, acquisition and transfer of property, local integration as well as access to education, health, justice and other socio-economic services.
Selected provisions
Every recognized refugee and asylum-seeker shall have the right to engage, individually or in group, in agriculture, industry, small and micro enterprise, handicrafts and commerce, in the same circumstance as the most favorable treatment accorded to foreign nationals pursuant to relevant laws.
Restrictive measures imposed, by applicable laws, on employment of foreign nationals for the protection of the national labor market shall not be applicable to recognized refugee or asylum seeker who is married to Ethiopian national or has one or more child in possession of Ethiopian nationality.
There shall not be any discrimination between recognized refugees or asylum seekers and Ethiopian nationals who are engaged in activities stipulated under this article.”
Every recognized refugee who has academic credentials authenticated by the competent government authority, and who desires to practice his profession, may be accorded the most favorable treatment as accorded to foreign nationals in areas permitted to foreign nationals.
Recognized refugees and asylum-seekers have the right to association, as regards non-political and non-profit making associations and trade unions in the same circumstances as the most favorable treatment accorded to foreign nationals pursuant to relevant laws.
Notwithstanding to the provisions of Sub Article (1) of this Article, the Agency may arrange places or areas within which refugee and asylum-seekers may live. The arranged residence place shall be located at a reasonable distance from the border of the country of origin or former habitual residence of the recognized refugees and asylum-seekers.
"Asylum-seeker" means any person or group of persons who presents himself or themselves at the border or frontier or within the territory of Ethiopia seeking refugee status and wait for decision of the Authority (RRS).
Subject to laws applicable to foreign nationals generally in the same circumstances, every recognized refugee or asylum-seeker has, within the national territory, the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence, as well the freedom to leave the country at any time he wishes too.
Recognized refugees and asylum-seekers shall be treated in the same circumstance as Ethiopian nationals as regards intellectual property rights including patent, copy right and neighbouring rights, trademarks, industrial designs, and other similar rights contained in other applicable laws
Recognized refugees and asylum seekers shall be entitled to the most favorable treatment accorded to foreign nationals as regards acquisition of movable or immovable property, to leases and other contracts relating to the property.