Ethiopia called on the international community to strengthen cooperation to help refugees at the 76th Executive Session of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland.

Representing Ethiopia at the meeting is Ms. Teiba Hassan, Director General of the Refugee and Returnee Services.

The Director-General noted that Ethiopia is currently hosting more than 1.1 million refugees, and explained to the Committee the challenges it is facing.

The Director-General noted that Ethiopia is one of the countries hosting the largest number of refugees in the world, and explained that the past ten years have been particularly challenging for the country.

She added that the arrival of new refugees from South Sudan without international support has made this year a challenging one for Ethiopia.

"Despite the increasing humanitarian needs, international financial support has fallen significantly," said Ms. Tayba, adding that the disparity between donor support and the need to adequately support refugees is jeopardizing the achievements made.

They also called on the international community to strengthen cooperation to help refugees and ensure a fair sharing of responsibilities.