The Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), with financial support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, recently convened a successful Community Dialogue in Lemi Kura Sub-City, Addis Ababa.
The event brought together refugees from Eritrea, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, alongside members of the host community—including community policing personnel, woreda, ketena, and block leaders, as well as women, youth, elders, and eder representatives—for a constructive and inclusive exchange.
During the dialogue, host community members shared encouraging examples of peaceful coexistence with refugees. These included Eritrean refugees’ contributions to improving the church environment at the Arabsa site and the production of cottage perfume by Syrian and Yemeni refugees. At the same time, participants raised concerns regarding the need for proper documentation, enhanced accountability, and stronger measures to prevent fraud and other unlawful activities.
Refugees, for their part, expressed appreciation for the hospitality of Addis Ababa’s residents and called for greater tolerance in everyday interactions. They welcomed the dialogue as an important platform for open engagement among diverse stakeholders and recommended that such forums continue, with the aim of translating mutual understanding into sustained, practical outcomes.
Participants underscored the value of community-level dialogue and suggested that future sessions benefit from more comprehensive preparation and broader stakeholder participation, including the involvement of UNHCR.
