Since the civil war erupted in Sudan in 2023, millions have been forced to flee. Among them are Othman, Amjad, and Wegdan—three Sudanese nationals now navigating a life of uncertainty and hardship on the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.
At just 22, Othman begins each day outside the Tirusina Mosque in central Addis. “I arrive at five in the morning and leave again before noon,” he says, pointing to the mosque’s entrance gate, where he finds brief shelter before returning to the streets. “The army came looking for me several times in Sudan. My father told me, ‘Leave the country. Don’t come back.’”
Like many others, Othman first passed through a refugee camp in Asosa, near the Sudan-Ethiopia border. But life in the camp—marked by long waits and suffocating conditions—drove him to the capital after five months.
His friend Amjad, a former graphic designer from Khartoum, also fled the camps hoping for better opportunities in Addis Ababa. “I thought I could earn money here and legalize my stay,” Amjad explains. “But I ended up sleeping on the street.”
Legal Gray Zones and Visa Struggles
Though Ethiopia initially welcomed Sudanese migrants with a temporary visa exemption, that policy ended in October 2024. Refugees living outside official camps must now pay $100 monthly for a visa—plus a $10 daily fine if it expires. For people like Amjad, already struggling to afford food, these costs are unmanageable.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), asylum seekers are required to register at border points like Metemma or Kurmuk. But many, fearing violence or simply unable to endure the difficult conditions in those regions, choose instead to head to the capital. “There is currently no way for Sudanese to register for asylum in Addis Ababa,” UNHCR spokesperson Tarik Argaz confirmed.
This policy has drawn criticism from legal experts who say it violates international refugee law. “You cannot deny someone the right to seek asylum just because they arrived in a different location,” said one Ethiopian migration lawyer who asked to remain anonymous.
A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
Over 163,000 people have fled to Ethiopia since the war began, including 73,000 Sudanese. The situation is becoming increasingly dire. Human Rights Watch reported attacks on refugee camps by armed groups in the Amhara region, including kidnappings and forced labor. As a result, more refugees are moving to urban centers—often without legal status or access to basic services.
One of them is Wegdan, a young woman who hoped to reunite with her husband in France. Her visa application was rejected, and now she owes over $5,000 in visa fines to Ethiopian authorities. “I don’t speak Amharic or English. I’m alone. I can’t pay. I just want a normal life,” she says, wiping away tears.
Dreams Deferred
Othman once studied in Russia and tried to reach Europe through Belarus. Instead, he was captured and burned by border guards before being deported back to Sudan—just before the war broke out. Today, his hand still bears the scars from that journey.
Amjad, meanwhile, mourns the death of a brother in Sudan and says he sometimes regrets fleeing. “I thought I could build a new life,” he says. “Instead, I rely on strangers for food and shelter. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
With limited legal pathways, rising costs, and little international assistance, Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia remain stuck between two wars—the one they fled, and the daily battle to survive abroad.