Ethiopia has long been considered as a stable country, but deep clan tensions and inter-communal violence persist. In November 2020, this resulted in the ongoing conflict between Tigrayan forces and the central government. Two decades of deadly conflict in the southeastern region of Ogaden had a severe impact on the Ethiopian ethnic Somali population.
Ethiopia periodically faces terrible droughts. This leads without exception to large numbers of people in need of humanitarian assistance. Numbers grew from 8.4 million (2019) to 13 million in 2022. The country hosts people displaced by cross-border movements due to drought, conflict, political upheaval and civil wars in neighbouring countries (Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan). There are also large numbers of internally displaced persons, forced to move due to drought and conflict.
Over the last 15 years, Ethiopia has undergone significant economic and social changes and has recorded some of the highest growth rates in the world- over 10% in some years. However, Ethiopia’s Human Development Index and its relative ranking have not moved significantly during the past decade. Health services are limited, notably those dedicated to people with disabilities. Ethiopia is also one of the Sub-Saharan African countries the worst affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Number of Handicap International staff members: 96
Date the programme opened: 1986
