National Rehabilitation Chief Commissioner Teshome Toga told the Ethiopian News Agency that registration of former combatants will begin in June 2023.
The National Demobilization and Reintegration Programme (NDRP) programme activities will support demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, making important contribution to national efforts to consolidate peace and promote stability.
National Rehabilitation Chief Commissioner, Teshome Toga said extensive efforts are being exerted to enable ex-combatants to return to peaceful lives and participate in the country’s peace, democracy, and development processes.
The former fighters are sections of the society who participated in various conflicts in the country, and in the two-year long war in northern part of Ethiopia, he stated.
According to him, the commission has succeeded in organizing the commission, explaining its purpose, and conducting discussions with donors and partners to collect financial support since it started operation three months ago.
In addition, Teshome pointed out that a consensus has been reached on the preliminary arrangements necessitated to rehabilitate ex-combatants in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz regions.
The National Rehabilitation Commission was established in November 2022 for a period of two years to assist with demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants across the country.
“Disarmed former combatants want to reintegrate into society, that is what we at least hear all over the country. Therefore, it is necessary to gather support from donors and partners to implement this program of demobilization and reintegration which is vital in bringing them to a center and rehabilitating them.”
The chief commissioner stated that the commission has prepared a two-year program in cooperation with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), investors and civil society organizations.
Ambassadors of various countries and donor institutions have confirmed their support to the efforts initiated to achieve lasting peace and stability in Ethiopia, he revealed.
Once the National Defense Force and other security institutions complete disarmament of the combatants, rehabilitation activities will begin quickly, Teshome stated.
Noting that the National Demobilization and Reintegration Programme will support demobilization and reintegration of 250,000 to 300,000 ex-combatants, the chief commissioner disclosed that the effort requires 550 million USD.
As soon the disarmament of fighters from all parts of the country has been completed, registration work will begin in June 2023, it was learned.
“When we confirm that disarmament work is over, we will demobilize those who have been released. We are working on this registration software. …….And if we finish by the end of May, we will enter the registration process from June first 2023. This is our temporary plan. We’ll run it together.”
Besides the registration, Teshome said that a team has already been formed to evaluate the centers in each region to accommodate ex-combatants.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency