Addis Ababa (AMCO) – Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh has praised the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) for carrying out successful self-funded institutional reforms, describing self-reliance as essential for building both organisational and national capacity.
Speaking during an official visit to inspect the agency’s headquarters, Temesgen said collaborative work between leadership, staff and refugees across its main office, six regional branches and 27 refugee camps demonstrates how public bodies can drive internal change without relying on external assistance.
The deputy prime minister noted that the overhaul extended beyond workplace upgrades to transform work culture, service delivery and institutional capability. He drew attention to agricultural initiatives established under the government’s Lemat Tirufat (“Bounty of the Basket”) development initiative—including horticulture, poultry, livestock breeding, beekeeping and crop cultivation—stating that institutional reform must be measured by productivity and concrete outcomes.
Ethiopia currently hosts more than 1.1 million international refugees. Temesgen highlighted that the country continues to demonstrate inclusive development by safeguarding refugee rights, maintaining their dignity and integrating them into local economic opportunities alongside host communities.
He added that rolling out digital identification for refugees has further expanded their social and economic participation across the country, urging the agency to maintain the momentum of its reform programme.
