Britain’s Foreign Minister, Yvette Cooper, has said her visit to Ethiopia will focus on tackling the root causes of migration from the Horn of Africa to the United Kingdom (UK).

Speaking ahead of her trip, Cooper highlighted the need for job-creation initiatives and closer cooperation with Ethiopian authorities as ways to discourage people from leaving the country. She also emphasised efforts to combat smuggling networks and to expedite the return of migrants who do not have the right to remain in the UK.

Around 30% of small-boat arrivals to the UK over the past two years have come from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan, highlighting the scale of migration pressures from the region.

Ethiopian journalist Samuel Getachew noted that the visit reflects the UK government’s broader strategy to work with regional partners to manage migration flows while addressing economic and security challenges in the Horn of Africa.

–ChannelAfrica–