ILO is a strategic development partner for Ethiopia's forced displacement context: Netherlands

The Netherlands and Ethiopia maintain a strong partnership across various areas, including private sector development, trade and investment, development cooperation, and security and rule of law. The International Labour Organization (ILO) plays a key role in this collaboration, particularly in skills development, entrepreneurship training, and job creation. These efforts are central to the Prospect Partnership, a flagship program of the Dutch government aimed at strengthening the resilience and self-reliance of refugees and host communities, as well as enhancing trade and investment ties between the two countries.

Under Phase One of the Prospect Partnership in Ethiopia, significant achievements were made. Over 20,000 individuals received learning and training opportunities, 25,000 children under three obtained birth certificates, more than 60,000 children accessed child protection services, and more than 20,000 people secured jobs through infrastructure projects, including the construction of roads, training centers, and schools. A notable success of Phase One was the "new way of working," which strengthened partnerships between the five implementing agencies: UNHCR, UNICEF, ILO, World Bank, and IFC.

Looking ahead to Phase Two, the partnership aims to build on these successes by providing more opportunities for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities. The focus will be on expanding access to learning and training, creating more jobs, offering enhanced protection services, and developing critical infrastructure projects. These goals will be pursued in close collaboration with the implementing agencies and the Ethiopian government.