A Migration Coalition Council meeting titled “Migration Partnership Coalition Council Meeting” was organized by Hiwot Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Addis Ababa City Bureau of Justice Migration Partnership Coalition, at the Interlexury Hotel on July 7, 2025.
Attendees included His Excellency Mr. Jantirar Abay, Deputy Mayor and Head of the Industry Development Bureau of Addis Ababa City Administration; Mr. Tekle Bezabih, Head of the Justice Bureau of Addis Ababa City Administration; senior officials from federal, city, and sub-city government bodies; and representatives of various nongovernmental organizations.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Jantirar Abay stressed that human trafficking and irregular migration not only endanger individuals—inflicting physical, psychological, social, and economic harm, even death—but also tarnish the country’s image. He noted that these risks stem from increased labor demand, exploitative human trafficking networks, and physical and psychological abuse that often result in life-threatening circumstances.
He also emphasized that, under Proclamation No. 1178/2012 and Regulation No. 126/2014, the City Administration is implementing strategic, coordinated efforts with relevant stakeholders to prevent and combat human trafficking.
During his introduction, Mr. Tekle Bezabih highlighted Addis Ababa’s commitment to its name—meaning “new flower”—by supporting women affected by irregular migration through capacity-building and reintegration centers, providing job opportunities and renewed hope. He further noted that major development projects across city corridors are creating both temporary and permanent jobs for youth, addressing root causes of migration and advancing the national agenda.
The Bureau’s 2017 fiscal year report was shared, revealing that 280 calls were received via the 6073 toll-free hotline, including 6 reports of trafficking or irregular border-crossing, 153 legal consultations, and 116 unrelated issues. All trafficking-related calls were forwarded to police for investigation.
Mr. Tekle added that the implementation of Proclamation No. 1178/2012 and Regulation No. 126/2014 has established a structured legal framework and operational system. Given Addis Ababa’s role as a source, transit, and destination in trafficking networks, he underlined the need for cooperation with regional, federal, governmental, and non-governmental partners for effective prevention and control.
The 2017 fiscal year performance report was then presented by Mr. Yohannes Berhanu, Coordinator of the Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, followed by a broad discussion. Participants’ questions and comments were addressed by Deputy Mayor Abay and Justice Bureau Head Bezabih, who emphasized the importance of each stakeholder fulfilling their responsibilities in a coordinated fashion. They concluded by affirming that every citizen must contribute to combating human trafficking and irregular migration, and stressed the necessity of an accountable, collaborative system.
