Tens of thousands of members of the Ethiopian diaspora have been making their way back to their ancestral homeland in recent months, answering Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s appeal for the diaspora youth to reconnect with their roots.
The first phase of the “Connect to Your Culture” initiative, which ran through March, saw over 74,000 diaspora Ethiopians visit the country, according to the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).
“So far, over 74,000 of these diaspora members have accepted the call and visited their ancestral homeland in the first phase alone which was carried out under the motto “Connect to Your Culture,” said the ENA.
In December, Abiy called on members of the second-generation Ethiopian diaspora – those born abroad to Ethiopian parents or grandparents – to come home in three phases running until September 2024.
The campaign aims to strengthen ties between the global Ethiopian community and the motherland.
A fresh wave of diaspora members have arrived Thursday ahead of the (Fasika) Easter holiday, which comes on May 5 on the Gregorian calendar
They were greeted by senior government officials at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport.
Families carried bundles of luggage and waved Ethiopian flags as they were welcomed back.
“Fasika” is the Amharic word for Easter, and refers to the 55-days where Ethiopians celebrate their most important festival of the year
For many in the diaspora, it was their first time visiting Ethiopia. Hundreds of cultural events, tours and forums have been organized to immerse them in the country’s diversity.
While some are just visiting, others are looking at study, job and investment opportunities in Ethiopia after being inspired by the prime minister’s vision of “diaspora diplomacy.”
Ethiopia’s diaspora community is estimated at over 3 million people, spread across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Billions of dollars in diaspora remittances provide a key economic lifeline for the nation each year.
