Over 60,000 foreigners have registered so far
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged foreigners with expired visas and resident permits to get registered in 125 selected areas of registration established for this purpose.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Ministry Spokesperson Meles Alem (Ambassador) has urged all foreign nationals living in Ethiopia without proper documents to be registered immediately before authorities start to take legal action as per the international law Ethiopia has signed.
Foreigners without any visa or residence permit, as well as refugees or asylum seekers requesting status and residing in Addis Ababa and its vicinities with or without an urban refugee permit, are also requested to register as of July 25, 2022.
According to Meles, within the last five days of the official announcement for registration, over 60,000 people have registered from countries including Canada, America, Eritrea, Congo, Italy, Syria, China, Turkey, Ghana, Burundi, Liberia, India, Bangladesh, South Sudan, and other countries.
The first phase of registration sites is installed in Addis Ababa and some Oromia administrative zones, and the second round of registration will be opened soon in regional states and the Dire Dawa City administration, the spokesperson told the reporter.
Registration is conducted under the auspices of the Immigration and Citizenship Service, through the Vital Events Registration Offices of all Woredas and the Immigration and Citizenship Service, as per its mandate given by a proclamation to register and administer legal permits for foreign nationals living in Ethiopia.
“We have started this to make sure that immigration work is proceeding as per the legal procedures,” said Meles (Ambassador), adding that there is no further intention of expelling or any other form of stunt.
The spokesperson has further called on foreigners to take advantage of this chance before officials start to take legal measures against those who failed to register as per the rule. However, the formal registration process will not be applied to the diplomatic community.
Over 180,000 foreigners are expected to be registered in Addis Ababa, Meles added.
In a similar presser, the spokesperson announced the cancellation of 162 million US dollars of rolling debt by the Russian government, which Ethiopia has borrowed since the Soviet Union period. According to Meles, Russia has changed the modality from debt to a development grant for purposes of modernizing the Melka Wakana Hydroelectric Power Station and upgrading Balcha Hospital’s technical capabilities.
Source: The Reporter
