(29 Dec. 2025: Addis Ababa) – Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed to cooperate in preserving the environment where refugees are being hosted.
The two institutions signed the MoU in recognition to their respective mandates and shared responsibilities, underscoring the importance of ensuring that refugee interventions are environmentally sound, climate-resilient and sustainable.
The MoU was signed by RRS Director General Teyiba Hassen and her EPA counterpart Eng. Lelise Neme, representing their respective institutions.
Speaking after the signing of the MoU, RRS Director General Teyiba Hassen said: “This move marks an important milestone in our efforts to ensure that refugee responses are implemented in harmony with the environment. Integrating environmental protection into our programs is not only essential for sustainability, but also for strengthening the resilience of refugees and host communities.”
Teyiba further noted that environmental degradation and climate change increasingly affect refugee-hosting areas, stressing that coordinated action with EPA will help mitigate negative impacts, promote ecosystem restoration and ensure the responsible use of natural resources.
EPA Director General Eng. Lelise Neme for her part stated: “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to protecting the environment while responding to humanitarian needs. By working closely with RRS, we aim to mainstream environmental considerations across refugee interventions, enhance climate resilience and contribute to sustainable development both at local and national levels.”
The two DGs stressed that such cooperation will help mitigate adverse environmental impacts, restore degraded ecosystems and ensure the sustainable management of natural resources for the benefit of refugees and host communities.
It is to be recalled that in 2023, the Government of Ethiopia pledged to plant 100 million multi-purpose tree seedlings, cognizant of the environmental pressures associated with hosting large refugee populations across different parts of the country.
Accordingly, the MoU establishes a framework for cooperation and coordination between RRS and EPA in areas of mutual concern, in line with their respective mandates and national laws and policies.
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