“Our position is clear,” the letter said. “Students should not have their education disrupted, and businesses and workers must be given time to responsibly settle their affairs. We’ve made these concerns known to Djiboutian officials.”
Djiboutian authorities responded positively, signaling flexibility in the enforcement of the plan. They committed to assessing cases individually. They “clarified that Ethiopian nationals with business ownership will be allowed to entrust their assets to others and depart voluntarily, while resolving their legal status.”
“We were assured that there will not be a blanket policy,” the Embassy said. “Ethiopians with property or legal claims will have avenues to secure their rights before returning.”
Citizens who are owed wages or have active court cases are advised to present relevant documentation to the Embassy for registration and support.
However, there will be no unique “approach applied to all countries regardless of their specific circumstances.”
The embassy also addressed rumors circulating on messaging platforms like WhatsApp, cautioned against panic. “The notice issued by the Djiboutian Ministry of Interior is not new, and there is no reason for alarm. We urge all citizens to stay informed through official channels.”
The Embassy pledged that all coordination on the return of Ethiopian nationals is being conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As Djibouti’s role as both a source and transit point for migrants and asylum seekers en route to the Arabian Peninsula continues to grow, the risks facing these individuals have escalated significantly.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), migrants are increasingly exposed to arrest and detention within Djibouti, as well as life-threatening conditions during their onward journeys across the Gulf of Aden.
Since 2023, Djibouti has intensified its efforts to curb irregular migration. In April 2023, the country’s Interior Minister declared that Djibouti had become “saturated” due to a large influx of migrants, citing a figure of 220,000 undocumented arrivals in 2022. The Minister announced a sweeping crackdown on irregular migration.
In October last year, Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti has confirmed that all 48 migrants who lost their lives in an incident off the coast of Djibouti were Ethiopian nationals. The incident, which occurred on 01 October 2024, involved two overcrowded boats carrying 320 migrants from Yemen to Djibouti. AS
