International consultancy company for Assessment of selected market systems in Gambela

Brief Summary Description of Project:

Mercy Corps is committed to supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to address the challenge posed by the large influx of refugees into the country. Ethiopia has the second largest refugee population in Africa, second only to Uganda. The official refugee population is more than 905,000 individuals, composed of mainly South Sudanese (48%), Somalis (28%), Eritreans (18%), and Sudanese (5%) living in 25 refugee camps in peripheral regions of the country. The largest populations are in Gambela Region (44% of refugees) and Somali Region (28%).  

The scale of the refugee numbers, and the long-term nature of the challenge (many refugees have been living in the country for more than 20 years), requires new thinking and innovative solutions. This has been recognized by the GoE through its support for the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and through the draft of a ‘National Comprehensive Refugee Response Strategy’ (NCRRS) by the Administration of Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA). The NCRRS includes ‘Nine Pledges’ that ultimately aim to create productive and self-reliant citizens among refugees and host communities.  

Mercy Corps has extensive expertise in developing sustainable solutions to complex humanitarian challenges. We employ a systems-strengthening approach to improve human and social capital; and to link, strengthen and expand systems critical to improving household incomes and resilience at the individual, community and systems level.  

Mercy Corps in partnership with DCA is about to implement a market system program that is WFP Funded (supported by SIDA and DANAID) in the Gambella region. It aims to support the long standing challenges of refuges and host communities and proposed action contributes to the EU’s commitment to supporting the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and SDGs 1, 5, 8 and 10, including the Decent Work and Economic Growth goal. The action also supports the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) CRRF pledge, including the signing of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016 and the revision of Ethiopia’s Refugee Proclamation in January 2019.For this reason, Mercy Corps is planning to conduct market system assessments to better understand needs and opportunities, focusing on Gambella region