Addis Ababa – Over 3.45 million people were internally displaced in more than 2,500 assessed and accessible sites across 12 regions in Ethiopia, according to data collected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) methodology, between August and September 2023. It is to be noted that Amhara region was largely uncovered this round due to increased insecurity.
IOM Ethiopia’s National Displacement Report 17 reveals that the main causes of displacement were conflict (64%), drought (17%) and social tension (9%).
Somali region hosts the highest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) primarily due to drought, while Tigray region hosts the highest number of IDPs primarily displaced due to conflict.
A Village Assessment Survey (VAS) was also carried out during the same period to track returns. The VAS shows that an estimated 2.53 million returning IDPs were identified in over 2,000 villages across 11 regions. The highest returning IDP caseloads nationwide were in the regions of Tigray (59%), Amhara (15%), and Afar (8%).
Since 2016, IOM has been monitoring the humanitarian and displacement situation through area-based assessments, which capture the numbers of displaced persons and returnees, their locations and needs, to inform the wider humanitarian and development response.
IOM will continue to expand its assessment coverage across the country so that the needs of more IDPs can be assessed. Since 2018, DTM has been the official source for displacement data in Ethiopia and coordinates with the Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission.
Source: IOM
