Paper short abstract:

COVID 19 is spreading in Ethiopia and the Middle East, the destination of nearly a million Ethiopian migrants, many of whom are now being forcibly repatriated. This discussion aims to examine the multifaceted interaction of returning migrants with their families, communities and local authorities.

Paper long abstract:

The paper, part of a larger research in progress, is concerned with both domestic and international Ethiopian migrants as they are impacted by the pandemic though in different ways and circumstances. In the former case, return migration has been “voluntary” and a response to economic slowdown and an unfavorable social environment following the spread of the virus. In the case of Ethiopians in the Gulf, migrants have been forcibly deported, the justification behind the measure being a desire to protect nationals from the pandemic. Undocumented migrants have been rounded up, placed in camps and repatriated to Ethiopia, many with only the clothes on their back. In the last two years, several hundred thousand Ethiopians have returned in this way, with more expected to come. In both cases, migrants who left with high hopes have returned home destitute. A number of issues are central to understanding the interaction of returnees with their families, communities and state authorities at the local level: how will returnees (especially women) integrate into/interact with families and communities, considering that family and kin have invested heavily and made sacrifices for their benefit initially? What local employment prospects are there for returnees and what role will government play? Will the return induce claims, counter-claims and demands for land? Will returnees be perceived as agents of the spread of COVID 19 in their communities? Will return migration lead communities to re-examine the prevalent migration narrative responsible for sending large numbers of young men and women to faraway lands?