A Nation On The Move The Economic And Human Toll Of Ethiopias Mass Migration
A Nation on the Move: The Economic and Human Toll of Ethiopia’s Mass Migration
ADDIS ABABA — An estimated 250,000 Ethiopians are migrating every year, a number fueled by a complex web of limited opportunities, conflict, and a growing culture of migration. As traditional life paths once paved by education and civil service crumble, a new generation is turning to perilous, irregular journeys in search of a better future, often with tragic consequences.
According to Girmachew Adugna, an Advisory Board Member at the Research Center for Forced Displacement and Migration Studies at Addis Ababa University, this mass movement has become the new normal for many young Ethiopians. In a recent analysis, Adugna highlights how the diminished value of education and a staggering 25.3% urban youth unemployment rate have pushed many to seek livelihoods elsewhere.
The human cost of this exodus is immense. In the first half of 2025 alone, over 350 migrants died attempting the crossing over the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea from the Horn of Africa. A single incident on August 3 claimed the lives of approximately 102 migrants, most of them Ethiopian.
The Driving Forces Behind the Mass Migration
Adugna’s research identifies several key factors pushing Ethiopians to migrate:
1. Lack of Economic Opportunity: High youth unemployment and a scarcity of quality jobs are central to the crisis. Rural poverty and slow industrial development intensify these push factors, leaving many young people with a sense of hopelessness about their future at home.
2. Conflict and Instability: Ongoing conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions, along with rising tensions in Tigray, have created widespread insecurity. This instability disrupts livelihoods, limits access to public services, and forces young people to choose between joining armed conflicts or struggling to survive.
3. Tightened Legal Pathways: Despite the dangers, irregular migration has become the default for many due to cumbersome and inaccessible legal routes. Requirements for passports and other documents are often prohibitively expensive and difficult to obtain. “The cost of a passport, for instance, is prohibitive for most,” Adugna notes, pushing individuals toward riskier, unofficial channels.
4. The Culture of Migration: In some communities, migration has become deeply ingrained as a quick and effective way to earn income and gain social status. Having a family member abroad is now often seen as a symbol of success, creating peer pressure and entrenching the idea that leaving is the only viable option.
The Dangerous Routes Taken
The most common and dangerous route is the “eastern route,” which involves crossing the Red Sea to reach Saudi Arabia through war-torn Yemen. Since 2014, the International Organisation for Migration has recorded over 1,098 migrant deaths by drowning along this path. The Ethiopian Central Statistics Service reported in 2021 that more than 51,000 Ethiopians had gone missing over the previous five years after leaving the country.
Other major corridors include the “southern route” to South Africa and the “northern route” to Europe via Sudan, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea.
A Path Forward: The Proposed Solutions
To address this crisis, Adugna’s research points to a multi-pronged approach focused on both domestic solutions and improved migration management:
- Creating Opportunities at Home: The Ethiopian government must prioritize creating more economic opportunities in the agriculture, industrial, and service sectors. Expanding skills training and supporting entrepreneurship are also crucial to giving young people a reason to stay.
- Expanding Legal Pathways: Ethiopia must broaden its bilateral labor agreements beyond the current focus on domestic work. While agreements exist with countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, they primarily cover jobs for women. The Philippines, for contrast, has signed agreements with over 30 countries covering a wide range of professions.
- Streamlining the Process: Legal migration pathways must be made more efficient, affordable, and accessible. This includes reducing the bureaucratic burden and cost for aspiring migrants.
- Targeted Awareness: Comprehensive, targeted public awareness campaigns are needed at the household, school, and community levels to ensure individuals can make informed, safe decisions about migration.
As the number of young Ethiopians choosing to leave continues to rise, Adugna’s findings underscore the urgent need for a shift in policy. Without addressing the root causes and providing safer alternatives, the tragic human toll of irregular migration will only continue to climb.
About The Author
