ADDIS ABABA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who is the Champion of the African Union (AU) theme of the year on refugees, paid an official visit to refugee camps in Ethiopia late Tuesday.
Forced population movements caused by various factors is one of the major challenges facing Africa today, and members of the AU have been taking different measures to address the issue sustainably.
Cognizant of the problem, the AU has dedicated this year as the "AU Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa."
To show support for the theme of the year and as part of World Refugee Day activities, the President of Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday undertook a field visit to Tsore refugee camp in Benishangul Gumuz regional state of Ethiopia.
The visit highlights the situation in Ethiopia, which is hosting about a million of refugees who have fled conflict, drought and persecution from neighboring countries such as South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia.
Visiting one of the refugee camps in Benishangul Gumuz region, Tsore Refugee Camp, the President of Equatorial Guinea expressed commitment to continue exerting efforts in searching durable solution against insensitive situation that can lead to forced displacement on the African continent.
"My presence in this refugee camp further reinforces my conviction that we must find together against the root cause of the increase in number of refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa," he underlined.
Ethiopia has adopted a law granting refugees the right to work and live outside the camps, and the AU has lauded it as a step toward improving their dignity and reducing their dependence on international aid.
