Fleeing terror, fighting terror: the truth about refugees and violent extremism

What are the effects of violent extremism among South Sudanese and Somalian refugees in Ethiopia?

Refugees are increasingly subjected to harsh policies that violate the spirit of refugee laws, and that are often justified by claiming the refugees pose security risks. This study examines the effects of violent extremism among South Sudanese and Somalian refugees in Ethiopia. The risks of violent extremism in both populations are low and refugees play a key role in fighting extremist threats. However, the harsh conditions they are subjected to over long periods pose several humanitarian, development and security concerns. Urgent efforts to improve living conditions for refugees are needed.

 

About the author

Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo is a senior research consultant at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. She is a migration expert who has worked for five years as a senior migration consultant, researching and implementing responses in high-flow regions, including Africa, the Middle East and Asia. She has a thorough understanding of migration drivers and migrant behaviour at a time of unprecedented movement, particularly in high-risk and fragile environments.

Picture: Rikka Tupaz / IOM

Development partners
This report forms part of a project funded by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) with resources provided by the German Federal Foreign Office. The ISS is also grateful for support from members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
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