In Ethiopia, Djibouti and South Sudan AICS responds to humanitarian crises, providing funds and expertise to tackle emergencies and support post-recovery and rehabilitation. In the same countries, AICS has adopted an integrated approach to address the root causes of irregular migration, focusing both on primary and secondary movements.
With a portfolio of more than 50 million euros, AICS works through different channels realizing initiatives with governmental authorities, UN Agencies and NGOs, prioritising the most vulnerable populations, internally displaced people (IDPs), refugees, migrants and returnees.
Our interventions are tailored to respond to the specific needs of the different areas of intervention and are developed with a focus on long term sustainability, linking relief with rehabilitation and development. All actions are consistent with global standards and commitments.
Our initiatives
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, AICS is currently managing a broad portfolio of humanitarian programmes responding to ongoing crises and improving resilience to shocks, targeting in particular drought and climate change affected communities.
Three programs have been funded in response to the humanitarian emergency caused by El Niño. In Somali, Afar and Oromia regions AICS works trough NGOs to increase basic services, improve natural resources management and enhance resilience and food security, particularly for agro-pastoral communities and using a one-health approach. Specific actions are undertaken in support to environmental displaced people and host communities to reduce their vulnerability from adverse climatic events.
AICS is actively supporting refugee communities in Ethiopia, specifically South Sudanese and Eritrean refugees. To improve the living conditions of Eritrean refugees, who are particularly vulnerable to secondary migratory movements, AICS realized two programs in northern Tigray through NGOs and IOM and one in Afar region through UNHCR. These initiatives are providing economic and social opportunities, improving access to sustainable energy and water for refugees and host communities, thus increasing environmental protection.
To address root causes of migration AICS is promoting four programmes in Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, SNNPR regions and in Addis Ababa. The programmes aim at enhancing resilience and protecting vulnerable groups by strengthening basic and social services, promoting employment, boosting employability and skills development, particularly for youth and women. These Initiatives include efforts to create decent and productive job opportunities in the textile and in the agricultural sectors, also in partnership with UNIDO.
AICS also finances one program to respond to the current humanitarian migration crisis tackling trafficking and smuggling of migrants and supporting returnees reintegration, also providing psychosocial support.
Awareness raising is a cross-cutting theme in all programs aiming at preventing risks related to migration, AICS has also produced with IOM the TV series “Mirage”, a serial drama increasing consciousness on the consequences of irregular migration.
In addition, AICS Addis Ababa is siding the Embassy of Italy in Addis Ababa in the implementation of the Programme “Stemming Irregular Migration in Northern and Central Ethiopia - SINCE”. The Programme is funded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa, through a delegation agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Click here for additional information.
South Sudan
Italian NGOs and AICS are at the front line of the South Sudanese crisis response. In order to alleviate this complex humanitarian crisis AICS has developed a regional approach to better address the needs of the most vulnerable and support the efforts of neighboring countries hosting refugees from South Sudan.
In South Sudan interventions are located in the former Lakes, Juba, Jonglei, and Equatoria regions, to ensure that internally displaced people receive appropriate assistance and have their basic needs met.
The programmes simultaneously intervene in Northern Uganda and in the Ethiopian regions of Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz in Ethiopia, in order to support the large number of people forced to flee the conflict.
With these programmes AICS is ensuring access to health services, including emergency and basic healthcare, improving hygiene and sanitation, water supply systems, food security and nutrition, child protection, and education.
These interventions focus not only on meeting refugees’ basic needs through immediate relief but also on promoting medium-term recovery, to contribute to a more sustainable solution for South Sudanese refugees.
Djibouti
AICS works through UNICEF to strengthen the protection system and the legal and policy environment in Djibouti for minor migrants moving through the country towards the Gulf of Aden and Europe. Those minors, especially unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), are amongst the most vulnerable categories of migrants, frequently exposed to abuses and violence.
