Ethiopia Continues Historic Refuge Tradition, Hosting 1.2 Million

What changed

Ethiopia continues a tradition of offering refuge that the account traces back more than a millennium, to people crossing the Red Sea while fleeing persecution. Today, the country hosts more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers.

Why it matters

The figure makes refuge more than a historic story. It is a major part of Ethiopia’s present-day national experience, linking an ancient act of welcome with a responsibility measured in more than a million lives.

That continuity also gives the story its sharper edge: Ethiopia is not simply remembered as a place where people once sought safety. It remains one now.