Date of publication:

01/08/2026

Ethiopia

Do domestic laws and policies allow forcibly displaced and stateless persons to bring their property and other assets to the country at the time of admission, and to take their property and other assets with them during repatriation or relocation?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

Domestic laws and policies in Ethiopia permit persons, including refugees, to bring their property and other assets to the country at the time of admission and to take their property and other assets with them during repatriation or relocation, as well as allowing them to repatriate the value of their investment assets.

 According to article 29(3) and (4) of the Refugee Proclamation asylum seekers are permitted to bring their assets and property to Ethiopia free of tariff at the time of their first admission. Similarly, recognized refugees or asylum seekers are allowed to take assets or property they brought to Ethiopia or acquired during their stay when leaving Ethiopia for their country of origin or a third country. Furthermore, as per article 20 (1) of the Investment Proclamation, foreign investors, including refugees, engaged in investment activities, have the right to repatriate the value of their assets from the investment they made in Ethiopia. This provision allows refugees to transfer profits, dividends, payments related to technology transfer agreements, collaboration agreements, proceeds from the transfer of shares or ownership, and compensation, among other payments, out of Ethiopia in convertible foreign currency

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    Refugees Proclamation No.1110/2019

    Legal provision

    Article 29(3) - Right to Acquisition and Transfer of Property

    Without prejudice to provisions of applicable Customs laws regarding prohibited and restricted imports, asylum seekers shall be allowed to bring their assets and property to Ethiopia free of tariff at the time of their first admission to Ethiopia.

    Article 29(4) - Right to Acquisition and Transfer of Property

    Without prejudice to provisions of applicable laws regarding prohibited and restricted exports, recognized refugees or asylum seekers, when leaving Ethiopia to their country of origin or third country, shall be allowed to take assets or property they brought to Ethiopia or have acquired in Ethiopia.

    Investment Proclamation No1180/2020

    Legal provision

    Article 20(1) - Remits

    Any foreign investor shall have the right, in respect of his investment, to remit the following payments and earnings out of Ethiopia in convertible foreign currency at the prevailing exchange rate on the date of transfer: a) Profits and dividends accruing from his investment; b) Principal and interest payments on external loans; c) Payment related to technology transfer agreement registered in accordance with Article 15 of this Proclamation; d) Payments related to collaboration agreement registered in accordance with Article 16 of this Proclamation; e) Proceeds from the transfer of shares or conferral of partial or total ownership of an enterprise to another investor; f) Proceeds from the sale, capital reduction or liquidation of an enterprise; and g) Compensation paid to an investor pursuant to Sub-article (2) of Article 19 of this Proclamation.