By Samuel Abate
Addis Ababa will host the fourth Africa Private Sector Forum on Displacement from November 16 to 18, bringing together business leaders, government officials, investors and representatives of displaced communities to explore ways to expand economic opportunities for refugees and host communities across the continent.
Ethiopia, which hosts more than 1.2 million refugees, has taken legal steps to support refugee integration and access to employment and business opportunities.
Across Africa, an estimated 45 million people are affected by displacement, highlighting the need for sustainable economic inclusion.
In 2019, Ethiopia adopted Refugees Proclamation No. 1110/2019, which granted recognized refugees and asylum seekers the legal right to engage in wage-earning employment and self-employment. The proclamation also provides a framework for refugee integration and access to basic services, although certain jobs remain restricted to Ethiopian citizens, including positions in the civil service, armed forces and police, as well as other sectors reserved exclusively for nationals.
The forum, held under the theme “The Next Act: Creating a More Inclusive Economic Ecosystem,” will focus on expanding employment, investment, enterprise development and policies that enable displaced people and host communities to participate more fully in African economies.
The event is convened by Amahoro Coalition, Inkomoko and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
According to the organizers, the three-day gathering will bring together people with lived experience of displacement, including entrepreneurs, workers and community leaders, alongside employers, investors and policymakers to examine practical approaches to economic inclusion.
Discussions will draw on research and existing initiatives to identify ways to expand successful models and strengthen partnerships between businesses, investors and governments.
The programme will take place at two venues in the Ethiopian capital. Africa Hall at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa will host activities reflecting on Africa’s history and its response to displacement, while the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum will host plenary sessions and other activities.
The museum will also feature a marketplace where businesses led by displaced people and members of host communities can showcase and sell their products.
Ethiopia-based refugee-led organization “Tomorrow is Better” is partnering with the organizers on the forum and marketplace.
Ethiopian organizations and entrepreneurs are expected to contribute local perspectives and showcase their businesses alongside participants from across Africa.
The fourth edition builds on previous forums held in Kigali in 2021, Accra in 2023 and Nairobi in 2025. This year’s gathering will place greater emphasis on expanding employment pathways, developing investment models, strengthening enterprise partnerships and promoting policy reforms that support economic participation.