Ethiopia banned its Citizens from Travelling Abroad for Work

Ethiopia's government on 24 October 2013 temporarily banned its citizens from travelling abroad to look for work. The government took this decision because many Ethiopians had lost their lives or undergone untold physical and psychological trauma due to illegal human trafficking. The Ethiopian government had taken various steps to limit the suffering of its citizens, including setting up a national council and a taskforce to educate them.

The scarcity of work opportunities contributes mainly fuelling emigration from Ethiopia, which has Africa's second largest population. According to the official figures, Youth unemployment was estimated at more than 50 percent.

Many Ethiopians migrate to Saudi Arabia, travelling via Yemen by sea and entering the country illegally. Thousands of others go to Israel, South Africa and Europe. Most of the migrants end up being smuggled, trafficked or subjected to mental and physical torture.