Integrated enterprise, cooperative and financial services assessment on refugees and host communities around Jigjiga, Somali Region, and Shire, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

The ILO conducted an assessment of the market systems (supply and demand) of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises development, business development services (BDS), cooperative promotion and access to financial services in the two regions.

The overarching objective of the assessment was to critically analyse the market systems for small and medium-sized enterprises development, BDS, cooperative promotion and access to financial services in the Somali and Tigray regions.

It provides a clear understanding of the specific market actors, supporting functions and regulatory environment responsive to the needs of women and men refugees and members of host communities, and provides clear programme recommendations for future implementation. The report will inform the nature of interventions under the ILO-PROSPECTS programme for the economic and social development of host and refugee communities.

The gaps remain significant. While the government came up with favourable laws to create an enabling environment for the protection of refugees, the supply of financial services and BDS as well as the development of cooperatives is limited. The implementation of these laws has been slow, so the target group in host and refugee communities remain vulnerable. However, these challenges are not unsolvable and this report presents actionable interventions that are carefully thought through and which should go a long way in closing these gaps.

Assignment objectives were successfuly completed despite the important challenges of limited movement in the target areas on account of COVID-19 and tensions in the Tigray Region.