The project focuses on opening a new checkpoint at Dewele, one of the busiest and most strategic border crossings between Ethiopia and Djibouti. Ethiopia lies at the crossroads of three major migration routes (to the east, south, and north), and the countrys borders are crucial hubs for both mobility and trade. The project will run for the next 4 years and will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration and the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service.
Furthermore, Ethiopia will be supported by this program in implementing a passenger information system (API) for border surveillance and improving border management during health crises. The €5 million comes from the budget of the Ministry of Asylum and Migration.
State Secretary De Vries of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation during her three-day visit to Ethiopia: ‘It is good that the Netherlands and Ethiopia can further strengthen migration cooperation by working together on the important theme of border management for both Ethiopia and the Netherlands.’
The Netherlands and Ethiopia work well and closely together, among other things in trade, migration, and security. In Ethiopia, the Netherlands is already active in supporting refugee reception (via PROSPECTS) and the reintegration of Ethiopians returning to their home country (via COMPASS).