TNAG-1527-FCO40-2091-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 99

CRISIS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA

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A BRIEFING ON THE ODA/WUS ETHIOPIA AWARDS PROGRAMME

The Ethiopia disaster and the Sahel famine touched hearts throughout the world last

But aid agencies are convinced that, while emergency is vital, aid

funds must be invested in development programmes to prevent such a large-scale disaster repeating itself. Education programmes can provide the trained workforce needed for development. But the current ODA/WUS scholarship programme for Ethiopian refugees is being run down, and a reduction by 64% is planned by the ODA between 1985/86 and 1987/88.

The Overseas Development Administration began to fund a scholarship programme for Ethiopian refugees in 1977, when political conditions in Ethiopia stranded many students attending courses in the UK. World University Service administered the programme, which initially aided 40 stranded students and then grew to 82 by October 1979. It was planned that the scheme should also provide scholarships for some Ethiopians with asylum in African countries: Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti. However, cuts in the aid budget imposed a 22% reduction in the size of the programme. Since 1979, the decline has continued. By October 1985, only 53 scholarships were being supported by the ODA. Current funding is hardly sufficient to meet the needs of Ethiopian refugee students in the UK and uncertainties over funding have, in some years, prevented selection taking place in Africa.

Yet the need is still great. Even though some rural refugees have been repatriated, political instability prevents the return of those of urban origin. Indeed they continue to leave Ethiopia. During the government financial year 1984/85, Ethiopians formed the sixth largest national group of newly-arrived refugees in the

UK.

Many of the refugees have already begun their education. Investment in completion of their training provides a pool of skilled workers, familiar with the region and anxious to contribute to the development of their country. Until they can return home, their skills can be utilised in other countries in the Horn of Africa. WUS has developed considerable expertise in identifying the most appropriate courses of study. We have begun also to give help in the work placement of scholars after graduation. A research project on employment opportunities in the Horn of Africa was undertaken and out of this has developed a parallel programme of casework advice to individual refugee graduates. This year, with funds from the Ford Foundation, WUS (UK) has established in Nairobi an employment advice service for refugees. of this project's funds will be used to maintain individual refugees in work experience placements, with the aim of leading to permanent employment. This is a major and important development, and there is a clear need for this type of assistance in the UK and elsewhere in Africa, and for additional support in Nairobi. It had been envisaged that the ODA programme would be extended to help meet this need.

Part

The ODA have indicated that the programme's funding will be severely reduced. effect, this will mean no new awards for 1986/87 academic year, and the pioneering work on employment will not be developed. Yet WUS believes that developmental as well as humanitarian concerns argue for the maintenance and extension of the programme, as a complement to, and not in competition with, other developmental or emergency assistance in the region.

January 1986