Eritreans told to renew residence permits

Ethiopia’s Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs Authority (SIRAA) on Tuesday ordered Eritreans living the country to renew their residence permits for the coming six months, a statement from the authority said. The registration of Eritreans living in Addis Ababa is due to take place between 28 February and 22 March at Ethiopia’s Department of Immigration and Nationality. Those living outside the capital should “appear in person” and register until 8 April, whether at branch offices of the authority or at district police stations, SIRAA said. It also warned that it would take “necessary legal measures” against Eritreans who failed to renew their resident permits. It is estimated that some 150,000-200,000 Eritreans are living in Ethiopia.