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Ethiopian Civil Service University (ECSU) College of Leadership and Governance, Institute of African Governance and Development held a Conference on Migratory Trends in the Horn of Africa on October 23, 2024 at ECSU.

Dr. Melkamu  Moshago  Head of Institute of African Governance and Development at ECSU , warmly welcomed all honorable guests, Ambassadors, academic staffs ,invited guests and students. He highlighted the benefit of organizing such kind of academic conferences and sharing experiences among the academician. He also presented the academic and work experience of the speakers.

Lemma Gudissa Angessa (PhD), ECSU Vice President for Academic Affairs, welcomed the participants and briefed the overall establishment of the university and its achievement for the last three decades and briefed the academic wing profile and academic programs of ECSU. He also noted that the issue of Migration is very sensitive especially in the horn of Africa because of different reasons. As he explained primary drivers of the common migrations reasons are limited economic opportunity, conflict, growing youth populations, and climate change. So that handling such issues scientifically and creating expert in this area is vital and ECSU is on the way to open graduate program in the area for the coming academic year he underlined.

 H.E. Attila Tamás Koppány, Ambassador of Hungary to Ethiopia, in his presentation mentioned some Migratory challenges that faces the world and also human suffering in Africa is increasing. Identifying the root cause of migration and finding a better solution by engaging the community, educating the youth and localization of the issue are vital, he proposed.

 The first speaker, Prof Dr. Istvan Tarrossy, from University of Pecs, briefly States the causes of Migration such as search out for land and employment. Positive and negative approaches are implemented to understand the major focal point of Migration as new tendencies are seen like many young Africans go to Asia; in the opposite , two  million Chinese are living in Africa nowadays compared to 150,000 Chinese were in 2014 he added. So that making regional efforts, securitization of Migration, intercontinental solidarity and cooperation, short and reactive solutions are the main solutions to minimize the tendencies of Migration he concluded.

Dr.Victor Marasia, from Ludovika University of Public Service, in his part identified countries that highly affected by displacement in the past years. Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda hosts the highest number of refugees in the Horn of Africa and the number of migrants increased four times from 750,000 to 2.5 million.  The case study on Sudan showed that the result of civil war increased the number of migrants he underlined.  

Dr. Judit Kiss, from International Business School and Budapest Institute of world Economics, proved the positive side of Migration. As she explained that gaining a large amount of remittance for a better economic development for Africa countries should be seen recently as an advantage for the economy of the continent. Although most researches do not show the positive side of Migration, Africa gains 4 billion dollar from remittance. So we better convert illegal sources to legal sources and make solid base of economic growth and advocate the macro and micro impacts of Migration, she summarizes.

Dr. Szabolch Pasztor,from Ludovika University of Public Service, described 25% of the global working age is found sub-Sahara countries and among  this 191 million people lives in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Eretria. He also pointed out the relationship and consequence between economic growth and population growth.

 H.E Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov,from UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordination in Ethiopia, remarked and briefed  the advantage of thinking globally is the issue of Migration for further solution in the world.

Dr. Tsega Gebrekerestos and Dr. Mohamed Ali, from Ethiopian Civil Service University, explained the impact and vulnerability of migration on the society, respectively. Dr. Tsega pointed out whether migration is an opportunity or a treat to Ethiopia. According to the UN data, from the total number of population Ethiopian, only 23% lives in urban areas. So that the migration of people from rural to urban increases because of drought, shortage of farm land, lack of jobs, low wages, debt and conflict. Dr. Mohamed Ali in his part clarified the vulnerable group of the society such as women, children and disable people that are highly affected by civil war, drought and displacement. He also explained that why   developed countries should not consider migration as a global issues.

The Conference on Migratory Trends in the Horn of Africa is prepared by ECSU Institute of African Governance and Development and Hungary Embassy.