Rural-Urban Migration and Poverty in Ethiopia

Abstract

This policy brief focuses on rural-urban migration in Ethiopia. Research shows that poverty and lack of opportunity are driversof young people’s rural-urban migration. However, migration to the cities has not led to a flow of remittances from urban to rural areas. Non-economic factors are central to many young people’s migration and to why they regarded migration as positive despite the lack of short-term economic benefit. The policy brief argues that the government of Ethiopia and development partners must recognise and support the development potential of migration and integrate it into development planning. There are ways in which migration can be made to work for the poor and support development.