The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on April 8, 2025, that approximately 163,000 Ethiopians have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

According to UNHCR, Eritrea is among the countries hosting Ethiopian refugees, although the number remains notably low at just 15 individuals. Conversely, Ethiopia has become a refuge for over 179,000 Eritrean refugees, according to the commissioner.

Sudan hosts the largest number of Ethiopian refugees, with UN data revealing that 68,895 Ethiopians have taken refuge there. Meanwhile, 93,359 Sudanese nationals have sought asylum in Ethiopia, highlighting the reciprocal nature of the region’s refugee dynamics.

UNHCR further noted that Ethiopia currently hosts refugees from more than 11 countries, with the total number exceeding 1.1 million. Among them, South Sudanese refugees form the largest group, totaling over 430,000 individuals. on the other hand, more than 7,000 Ethiopians have sought refuge in South Sudan.

The commission’s data also indicates that over 360,000 Somalis have taken refuge in Ethiopia, while more than 28,000 Ethiopians are currently residing as refugees in Somalia. After Sudan, Kenya hosts the second-largest number of Ethiopian refugees, with approximately 43,000 Ethiopians residing there. Additionally, 5,672 Kenyans are registered as refugees in Ethiopia.

In Djibouti, about 14,000 Ethiopians are seeking asylum, while 56 Djiboutian nationals are registered as refugees in Ethiopia. UNHCR’s statistics further reveal that 749 Syrians, 133 Burundians, and 27 Lebanese are among the diverse refugee population living in Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, more than 4.2 million Ethiopians remain internally displaced as a result of the Tigray genocidal war and ongoing tensions, underscoring the profound humanitarian crisis affecting the country.