The Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Neighboring Countries: The Case of Sherkole Refugee Camp, Western Ethiopia Birhanu Sileshi Watol ? & Desta Tegegne Assefa ? Abstract -This study aimed at examining the socio-economic impact of refugees on the neighboring countries the case of Sherkole refugee camp. With this Refugee as people crossing international borders in order to escape conflict or Human right violation have been a central focus of international relations. However, the world refugee problem is caused by a variety of reasons which including massive violation of human right, direct and structural violence, war, internal conflict, ethnic and religious strife, direct political persecutions and economic and natural disasters. Likewise, majorities of the mass movements of refugees in the contemporary world are caused by ethnic conflict, natural disasters and shaping of socio-economic imbalance. As a result they influence the socio-economic condition of the host countries. This study aims to investigate and assess the socio-economic impacts of the Sherkole refugee camp on the host community who are living around the camp in western Ethiopia. In the study process qualitative sampling technique was used by employing purposive selected key informants, field observation and focus group discussion. The study explained the influx of refugees in Sherkole camp impact positively and negatively the social and economic condition of the host community. Socially host community acquired knowledge and skills from refugees. On the other side they promoted crime and theft to the host community. Economically, the host communities are benefited from the presence of refugees by selling the local product and buying from them goods and service by the low price. In the contrary, their presence leads for the dramatic change of goods and service and food price in the market. Basically refugee camp set as a temporary settlement to serve refugee for the short period of time. Therefore repatriation of refugees to their original country is the best alternative of all since the pushing factors for refugee flight are civil war, war and natural disasters are not continued for a long period of time. # I. Background of the Study efugees as people crossing international borders in order to escape conflict or Human right violation have been a central focus of international relations. However, the world refugee problem is caused by a variety of reasons which including massive violation of human right, direct and structural violence, war, internal conflict, ethnic and religious strife, direct political persecutions and economic and natural disasters. Likewise, majorities of the mass movements of refugees in the contemporary world are caused by ethnic conflict, natural disasters and shaping of socio-economic imbalance (Boamah-Gyau, 2008). Therefore, more than 100 million people have become refugees since the beginning of the 20 th century as a result of war, revolutions, famine or political boundary changes (McBride, 1991:26).Despite the fact, by the end of 2009 there were about 42.3million people displaced globally as a result of conflict, violence, and human right violation. Among these 27.1 million were internally displaced persons (IDPs) while, 15.2million were refugee outside their country of nationality and whose situations in the host country were often in protected displacement. It is generally recognized that there are social, economic, and environmental impact that have been identified, either in the home country, a neighboring state or elsewhere (Gomez and Christensen, 2010). In fact the horn of Africa, South Africa and most recently Syria, Iraq and Sudan war and massive displacement of people are challenging the inviolability of borders and have contributed to the disintegration of nation. Nevertheless, the magnitude of refugee influx in recent years has generated urgent concern throughout the world widely perceived as an unprecedented crisis, these flows, have produced a mixture of humanitarian concern for the millions of people forced in to expel and fear for the potential threat to the social, economic and political stability of the host states caused by flow of unwanted new comers (kirui and Mwaruvie, 2012). Africa is continent where most of the civil wars of the late 20th c and 21thc were erupted. This issue is a more prevalent in Africa than in most regions. Africa's refugee problem stems from its decolonization, followed by the arbitrary re-sectioning of its interior, which both separated and mixed ethnic and religious groups. The result is today's frequent and brutal civil and intercontinental wars, which create hundreds of thousands of refugees in West Africa, the long civil Wars of Liberia, Sierra Leone and currently Mali, in central Africa in Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, and in East Africa in the Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Eritrea millions of civilians were displaced and move to another place to escape the danger at home (UNHCR, 2014). By 1989 it has been estimated that nearly 5 million of the world's 1.5 million refugees are in Africa. Though, the evidence established that in the recent years the countries of east and central Africa especially Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Malawi, Tanzania and Zaire are the major hosting location of refugees (UNECA, 1992). Obviously, when refugees are cross international borders, depending on the preparedness of the host government and international organization, such as the UNHCR, they may settle with assistance from various actors. Just so, particularly in Ethiopia, the individual refugee status determination is undertaken for all others through a government eligibility Committee, on which UNHCR be seated as an observer. The Government of Ethiopia generally maintains open borders for refugees who are seeking protection in the country. As a party to both the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugee and the 1969 OAU Convention, the government provides protection to refugees from over 13 countries, with the majority originating from the neighboring countries of South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan (UNHCR, 2014). Moreover, the countries those who are bordered Ethiopia facing political, social, economic and environmental challenges which led to the substantial increase in refugees in the country. As of July, 2014 a total of 588,000 people from about 13 countries were refugees in Ethiopia. The over whelming majority are Somalis (242,765), South Sudanese over (217,000), Eritreans (94,000), and Sudanese (34,000). Ethiopia also hosts 43,000 refugees from several other countries including Kenya, DRC, Djibouti, and Yemen. Altogether, 59,637 new refugees registered in Ethiopia in June 2014 including 2,565 from Eritrea, 505 from Sudan 1,054 from Somalia and 25,947 from south Sudan (NRC, 2014). Furthermore, Ethiopia had experienced a large influx of refugees over the last two decades. This is the result of the volatile and conflict condition of the neighboring countries (Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea) in the region of the horn of Africa. Also, the security problem in Southern Sudan and the conflict between the southern and northern Sudan push civilian out of their home in to Ethiopian border, according to UNHCR's most recent figures, more than 28,000 people crossed in to Ethiopian from Kurmuk, Geissan and other locations on the Ethiopian-Sudanese border in the western Ethiopia (IFRC and RCS,2011) Thus, as Ethiopia is a host for the huge and gradual increasing numbers of refugees, the attention given to the socio-economic impact on the host communities in the country was very limited. However, the socio-economic impact of refugees on the host communities in western Ethiopia has not been studied so far particularly, in the Sherkole refugee camp. So this study is specifically conducted to investigate the socio-economic impact of refugees in the Sherkole refugee camp on the host community who are living surrounding the camp. Finally this study gives an emphasis mainly on the social and economic cost and benefits of refugees in Sherkole camp on their host community particularly their effects on socio-cultural interactions, social services, price of goods and services which is limited to the Sherkole refugee camp. # II. # Statement of the Problem The discourse on the impact of refugees on the neighboring and host community is not a new concept to international issues. Globally, a country who received large numbers of refugees faces a variety of social and economic impacts (Jacobsen, 2002). Despite the fact, Ethiopia is receiving and gives home for large numbers of refugees who are from neighboring and other countries from different direction. Thus, the situation in neighboring countries along Ethiopia's western borders has gradually get worse and has become more complex with new tribal fighting adding to internal conflict in South Sudan and ongoing conflicts with the North. This has resulted in increased and even more ethnically mixed and multifaceted populations seeking assistance in Ethiopian regional states along the border, Benishangul-Gumuz in Sherkole refugee camp which found in western Ethiopia (ERCS, 2011). However, most studies done in western Ethiopia by UNHCR and concerning bodies focused on refugee camps and the needs and problems of the refugees themselves, while the impact that the refugees have on the host community is often considered. Though, still limited numbers of studies were conducted on the socio-economic impact of refugee in western Ethiopia particularly the case of Sherkole refugee camp. Even the existed studies were only about the environmental impact that refugees brought on the host community. Yet, Sherkole refugee camp is one of the three camps in western Ethiopia in Benshingule Gumuze regional state with Bambasi, Tsore and Tongo camps. The Sherkole camp still continued to function as other three camps are established due to the high incoming of refugees from Southern and Northern Sudanese and some from the great lake region. In spite of the absence of peace in Southern and Northern Sudanese the Furthermore, from the moment they arrive in a country of asylum, the refugee competes with their local host for scarce resources such as land, water, housing and food. Their presence places more substantial demands on natural resources, education and health facilities, transport and social services. A refugee influx can push prices up and wages down. The settlements of the refugees increase the numbers of population and have adverse economic and social impact for the host communities (UNECA, 1992). Sherkole camp is still home for 11,508 refugees of Sudanese and others in regular bases. In the meantime, the camp is continued to function and the socioeconomic impact of the refugees on the host community will continue. Therefore, to fill this knowledge gap, this study tried to assess the socio-economic impact of refugees living in Sherkole camp of western Ethiopia on the surrounding host community and the pressure it put on the socio-economic as well as the price of goods and services. This study was thus seek to analyses the impact of refugee presence on the socio-cultural and economic of the host community in Sherkole refugee camp in relation to social relation in terms of education, health care and cultural values. # a) Research Questions This study is aimed to answer the following questions. The overall objective of this study was to investigate and assess the socio-economic impacts of the Sherkole refugee camp on the host community who are living around the camp in western Ethiopia. ii. Specific Objectives 1. To assess the social impact of refugees on the host community who are living around the Sherkole refugee camp? 2. To investigate the impact of refugees on the social services on the host community who are living around the Sherkole refugee camp. 3. To identify the economic impact of refugees on host community who are living around the Sherkole refugee camp. 4. To investigate the role played by the local administrative and supporting agencies in terms of ensuring social relationship between the host community and the refugee in Sherkole refugee camp . # III. # Methodology of the Research a) Research Design This study focused on the socio-economic impact of refugees on the host community who are living around the Sherkole refugee camp in western Ethiopia. The study used qualitative research approach. The primary method of this study was formal interview and participatory observation. During the visit the researcher was play on the role of listener and ask the respondents about the impact of the refugees since the arrival and their current situation, which was followed up with questions, that seems important to the topic. Relying on qualitative approaches to data collection such as participant observation and un-structured interviews seemed a more appropriate way for the data collection. It tried to get a depth understanding of the socioeconomic situation of the host community with the influx of the refugees in to the Sherkole camp. In this way it becomes easy to see the change that refugees brought to the host community. In such case qualitative research design is best way to address this topic. It employs qualitative analysis to analyze the socio-economic impacts that affect the host community around the Sherkole refugee camp. # b) Sample size The purposive sampling technique was employed which involved 28 participants, among those10 participants were from host community, 8 were refugees, 5 were local administrative and 5were from supportive agencies. IV. # Method of Data Collection and ource of Data a) Method of Data Collection The study was based on primary information. The primary data was collected from the members of the host community in the surrounding areas of the camp. The central method of data collection is through interview, focus group discussion and personal observation. A face to face interview was used to obtained good information from the respondents. Also tape recorders and camera was used. # b) Source of Data To achieve the stated objective, data were collected from primary as well as secondary sources. Personal interviews were conducted in order to fill the gaps by the selected respondents. The interview was un-structured that has open ended questions and which was conducted face to face. The interview questionnaire was prepared both in Amharic and English. Secondary data was also obtained from ARRA and NRED which work in the area in relation to refugees and from Benishangule-Gumuze regional state Agricultural office and Assosa Zone Justice office used to get documented data. # c) Method of Data Analysis The collected data was analyzed by using narrative analysis. The data obtained through the interview, focus group discussion and personal # Year 2018 The Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Neighboring Countries: The Case of Sherkole Refugee Camp, Western Ethiopia S observation were analyzed based on the objective of the study. The secondary data obtained from Assosa zone justice office and NRDP was also analyzed and interpreted qualitatively to have a deep understanding of the condition in the area. V. # Data Analysis and Presentation The study involves total of 28 participants from different sections including 10 from the host community, 8 from refugee community, 5 from local administrative refugee and 5 from supporting agencies that are living in and familiar with the study area. The study includes the participant from the host community as member of the merchants, teachers and the local administrations as its major source of data. It also includes participants from the refugee communities who are members to the refugee central committee, merchants and daily laborers. Moreover, representatives from refugee administration and supporting agencies namely ARRA and IP were contact as well. While 15 of the participants were interview thoroughly, a focus group discussion involving 5 participants from the host communities. # a) The social impact of Refugees on the Host Communities around Sherkole Camp According to the data obtained from both the interview and focus group discussion, the social and cultural interactions and relation of refugees of Sherkole camp and the host communities have two forms. On the one hand the local host community and refugees of Sherkole camp have many social and cultural elements that the two groups share in common which played a role for the peace full co-existence of the groups. On the other hand there are some activities of refugee which contributing to the social sick of the local community due to the presence of them in the area. However, as the study participant indicated that both the host and refugee communities have many socio-cultural elements in common that strength their social relation and their peaceful co-existence. Almost all members of the host and refugee communities speak the Arabic language that makes easiest their day to day communications and facilitates their social interactions. As the two groups are interacted socially, refugees are borrow different kinds of things like money, local crop product and even animals like goat and cattle for butchering. As of some respondents there is also similarity between the host community and refugees of Sherkole camp in terms of skin color, physical appearance and wearing style. For that reason, it is sometimes difficult for guests to differentiate the refugees from the local people. Again as most of the respondents indicated that almost all host communities and majority members of refugees of Sherkole camp are similar in religion that they are Muslim. This is another contributing factor that makes the social and cultural relation of the host and refugees of Sherkole camp ties together and strong. Furthermore as study participant point out that the local communities have the behavior of singing and clapping overnight and just like refugees of Sherkole camp doing the same thing similar to the host communities. As the study participant indicated from the refugees and host community, both are come together to share their happiness and sadness. The host and refugee communities are being together with one another on such events as weeding, cultural and religious ceremonies, celebration of holidays, sickness, funeral ceremonies and others. One of the refugee respondents whose origin is from Sudan expresses the relation of refugees and the host communities as; "We refugees have good relation with the local communities. We are participating in every action with the local communities. Here when we need firewood the local community helps us where we get it. We have a good cooperation with the local communities. Also we have similar culture, religion and others. This is why we have very easy interaction and communications in all aspect with the local communities". As the study participant responded, refugees and host communities are usually celebrate religious and local/ national holidays by participating together. Here the world environment day which celebrated annually June 5 and world refugee day which celebrated annually Jun 20 are the international holiday that both refugees and host community are participated to celebrate together. In this two international holiday there is the cultural exchange between the refugees and the host communities on the one side and on the other side the host communities are reflecting their culture and values to the international communities. Also host communities and refugees are celebrating the religious holiday and cultural weeding by inviting each other. Moreover, as respondent indicated that there is football competition between the two groups which is objectively to promote the social and cultural relation between the host communities and refugees of sherkole camp. As pointed out by the study participant marital relationship between the host communities and refugees is another social and cultural interaction that exists only between local community females and refugees males. Also the study participants from the refugees indicated that members from refugee community especially males are interested to get married from the local communities. But there is no marital relation between local community male and refugee female because the culture of the host community allows its members to have married only from their own relatives. Also some members of the refugee community get married to Ethiopian who is not members of the local community. One Sudanese refugee married his spouse from Ethiopia out of the local community members and he told as; Volume XVIII Issue IV Version I 40 ( E ) "I was getting married from Ethiopia and my spouse is from Amhara wollo tribe and here I have relative from Ethiopia, so you can call me as an Ethiopian". Moreover, as it was grasped from interview and filed observation, market is the other most important place where social interaction between the refugees of Sherkole camp and its host community take place. According to respond from both sides in addition to its business purpose, market is the place where different members of the host community and refugees of this area are come together and interact socially. It is also observed that both local host and refugees communities use the same market place not only for economic purpose, but also as a means of meeting and interacting with each other. They used this market place as a place where they exchange different items with one another. Refugee communities are taking their food aids to sell and local communities are taking their local products to sell for the refugees. As the respondents from the local community point out that because of the existence of these better social interaction and relation between the refugees and the local host community, members of the local host community acquired some social elements and skills from the refugee community that do not exist before. The daily interaction of the local communities with the refugees gave them the opportunity to learn how to speak English language in addition to Arabic language. Local communities are also acquired hard working from refugee that, they are producing production at the summer season in their small garden. At the same time local communities are acquired their motivation and attitude they have for education. Especially, the motivation they have for education motivated the local community to participate in education ever than before. Additionally, the local communities are building home by bamboo trees and other woods before the coming of the refugees, but today the local communities are building their home from the clay mud by molding it as a block by acquiring the skills from refugees. Similarly they are acquired from refugees making fences from combination of grass, bamboo trees and wood. Refugees are also transfers to the local community the skills to making table, chair and other materials by using bamboo trees with different design. One of the respondents from the host community whose career is a teacher admires the wisdom of refugees that they are making seal to cheat the school principal as; "What makes us surprise here is the refugee ability to design seal which is very Similar to the given high school seal or primary school for cheating as they are Promoted from one grade level to another". As the study participant from refugees indicated that, local communities are acquired knowledge and skills from the refugees. They acquired good food preparation, body hygiene, toilet utilization, how to take their child to the school, how to be treated by the doctor, how to solve their own problem by the local elders and they also developed how to participated in community development work. One of the refugee respondents express how the refugees motivated the local community to participate in community development program as; "I participate in the action against women. Here there had been early marriage in this local area. But now because of the promotion of SASA women violation is reduced. This SASA is to avoid any kind of violence against women which promoted to the local community". Again local communities are acquired from refugees the construction of home from clay mud and how to make fence with the combination of the grass and wood. Similarly, refugees are transfers to the local communities how to construct durable house. Furthermore local communities are acquired skills how to make tailor, bee keeping, table, chair, bed and bead. Some of the local people take the refugees to their home to build their house and how to cover by the grass from the beginning up to the end. Though, the finding explained that the local host community and the refugees of the area have many social and cultural elements in common that played prominent role for their peaceful co-existence, there is also, the existence of social sick of the host community in terms of anti-cultural practice in disturbing peace and security as a roadway for prostitution in the area, incidence of crime, alcoholism, theft, drug addiction and rape promoting in the area that does not as such exist before. Concerning about peace and security refugees are the problem of peace and security in the area, that they fighting with the local community on the utilization of natural resources. Similarly, refugees cause the hostility in the area basically caused by the reducing amount of ration aid given to them from the international supporting agencies from 16 kg to 10 kg. As a result, refugees are fighting with the local militia and burning the home of the local communities. Additionally, refugees have the behavior of alcoholic addiction that they are drink alcohol at the market day and disturbing peace and security of the area inside and outside of the camp. As the Assosa zone Justice Office 2015 report indicated 26 case incidence of crime, among which 18 of them were stealing case, 5 were physical injury and 3 were rape case were reported. As the study participants from the local community indicated that, before the arrival of refugees in the area prostitution is not widely spread in to the community, however, the local communities are claiming refugees for the prevalence of prostitution in the area which is also the cause for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted disease in to the local communities. Here, refugees are lobbing the local female by money and making pregnant. This is one manifestations of the presence of prostitution in the area which does not seen before the coming of refugees. As the evidence from the interview show that refugees of this area are usually claimed by the local community for increasing the incidence of crime in the locality. There are cases indicating that large numbers of refugees committed crimes of different types that theft is one of the crimes committed by refugees in Sherkole camp. As most respondents also pointed out that it is common for some of the refugees to usually rob and steal the property of the local community. As also most respondents from the local communities and local administrative body indicated that refugees are highly in taking alcohol and intoxicated, after all they are disturbing the security of the area. Mostly one of the factors that are obstacle for the refugees not to peace with the local community is their alcoholic toxicities. As also respondents show that most of the local community particularly the youth are developed alcoholism and toxic and disturb the security of the local community as refugees. As most of the study participants from the local community respond that theft is the act that badly affecting the local community. Refugees are highly stealing the property of the local community, that they are stealing goat, mango, maize and sorghum at field, grass and bamboo trees of the local community. One of the respondents from the host community said the following to express his complain to the bother act of the refugees. He said that; "Refugees are highly participating to stealing and robbing the property of the local community. Here I am disabled, yet refugees are robbing my home property at night time which may assumed for about 4000 and make me poor". As most respondents said that most of the time Uduk ethnic group who is from Sudan highly participated to theft. As almost all respondents from the host community show that, recently refugees are highly participated to robbing and stealing because the amount of food aid given to them from supporting agencies was 16k.g but now a day it is reduced to 10 kg. This might be the main reason that they are highly participated to theft and robbing. As also most respondents point out that, refugees are used drug addiction. They are chewing chate, smoking cigarette and in taking shisha/hash and addictive of alcoholism. Just like the local communities, particularly the youth parties are adopted these all from refugees. Rape is another action that is promoted in the Sherkole camp by the refugees. Refugees are waiting the local female when they are going to collect firewood, to the market and fetch the water from the river. But today the rat of rape in the Sherkole camp is reduced because IRC is design a project called GBV for the reduction of the rat of rape in the area. In the case this does not means that it is completely eradicated, but somehow the rat is reduced. As the study respondents showed that there are two groups of refugees in this Sherkole refugee camp. These are the north and south Sudanese refugees who are majority and the great lake refugees who are from Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Congo are the minority one. However, as the study participant both from host communities and refugees indicated, refugees from Grate Lake are totally different from Sudanese refugees by their own culture, language, religion, feeding style, wearing style, preparation of food and the items they used for food are unique from the Sudanese and the local communities. They are minorities and the items that they used for food commonly are rice, bean, Biafra (cassava). As a result of this they sell the food aid given for them and buy others from the market. Due to the language and cultural difference they are not easily communicate with the local communities. They have Franco-culture, speaking English, French and their own language. One of the respondents who is from Burundi told me his feeling as the great lack region refugees are not as such interact and communicate with the local communities as a result of language, religion, culture and other barriers as; "Communities of this area have brotherly and sisterly hood with the Sudanese refugees. When we come here from Burundi the local community accepts us as "KAWAJA" i.e. white people because when we ask them there is no answer, this is the result of negative cooperation. Again because of we are Christian they are Islam there may not be good cooperation. Similarly if somebody died in the camp from Burundians, no body come from local community for the ceremonial death due to cultural, religion and language difference between the great lake region and local communities. But the local communities are come to participate if somebody dead from the Sudanese refugees in the camp. # b) The impact of Refugees on Social Services in Sherkole Refugee Camp As the participants from the host community indicated that the coming of refugees to this locality has helped the host communities to provide health service, clean water, school and generator that does not exist before. Here in the case of health center there was no equipped and organized health institutions that give service for the patient before the presence of refugees in the area. But now a day with no limitation the health center give significance number of service for patients of the host community coming from different parts of the area to make use of this free health service. Also as most respondents indicated patient with health problem including mother during delivery time beyond the capacity of the health center always referred to the Assosa hospital freely without any payment. As the study participants indicated from the host community, school is also another social service that is provided as a health center for the local communities. Currently, UNHCR is constructing the school for the local communities and provide different educational equipment. It also supports the female student of the local communities by giving special attention and provide for them in each school educational equipment and modes for the female students. Here, the local community students cannot join the same school with the refugee students as they are commonly served the health center together. This is mainly because of English is the medium of instructions that the local community do not attend with them. Another reason that the local community don't join with them is that, the Ethiopian education police allowed for the primary school level to attend by their mother tang. Moreover, there is English skill training center opened for the local community, particularly for the teenagers to develop their English skills. As the respondent showed that, similar to other social services, water is also constructed for the local community by IRC and UNHCR. IRC is constructed borehole and denoted for every kebele who are nearest to the Sherkole camp. All of the water boreholes are currently functional and providing the host community of these area with clean water service. Beside to the construction of clean water service, IRC provide WASH related awareness rising and educational service to the local host community. The study respondent also point out that since the area is remote, hot and desert, they were highly affected by lack of water and related problem before they get these water service. Their women and girls used to cross very long distances on foot to search water for drink and related purpose during winter season of Ethiopia before the arrival of refugees in this area and the communities had been at bother. But now a day IRC and UNHCR solve the problem due to the presence of refugees in the area. However, since the area is dry and desert there is the short age of water during winter season, during this time the host community complain the presence of refugees in the area. They assumed that if they are not in the area the short age of water cannot happened. As pointed out by the respondent of the refugees beside to explain in the above paragraph about the social service provided by the governmental and non-governmental organization to provide service for the local communities, there are also good and service performed from the refugees to serve the local communities. Here, some of the refugees are traders who are participate in small business , trading different food and non-food items in small shop and in the market place. Some are trading fruits, vegetable, cash crop and others. Refugees are not producing these all items but they bought it from the local wholesaler who comes to the area from Assosa and other neighboring areas. As respondents from both said indicated that, there are also a refugees who have small hotel and cafeteria that the local community used by it. The owner of restaurant sells to the local communities and refugee food and soft drink. The owner of the cafeteria sells to host and refugee community coffee, tea and bread. One of the refugee respondents whose origin from Sudanese said, there are some refugees who have restaurant and cafeteria by the willing of ARRA.so he told me as he has the restaurant in the camp as; "I have the restaurant which makes Sudanese food. The one who used my restaurant as a customer are the local people. The customers are from Homosha which is far away and from surrounding area" Moreover, refugees have the skills to making chair, bad, table and furniture that the local people served by it. For this goods there are the place where the refugees and local people conducted together to exchange the material like home door which is prepared from jelun (oil container) making with bamboo trees and sell to the local communities. Also refugees are sell their food aid for the local communities and buy charcoal and wood from the local communities. There are refugees who are rent their labor force for the local communities. Again there are refugees who are mining gold for the local community because the refugees have the experience to use instruments that help them to mine the gold. There are also the refugees that are an agent between the refugees and the local people to facilitate trade. # c) The Economic Impact of Refugees on the Host Communities of Sherkole Camp This section presents the finding which concerns the economic impact of refugees on the local host community who are live surrounding of Sherkole camp. The data obtained from the interview, focus group discussion and filed observation showed that, local communities are benefited due to the presence of the refugees in the area that they are selling their product to the refugees and at the same time buy different goods and services from the refugees. Also there is high scale flow of relief food and material aid for the refugees. This aid engulfs the market and has devastating impact on the local products of good and service in the market. Similarly, some of the educated and non-educated people are able to get employment by the aid agencies. On the other hand the incoming of large numbers of refugees and the people who are employed in supporting agencies are making the prices of goods and service in the skyrocket and competing for different items in the market. As the respondents from administrative agencies and local community indicated that, the local communities are buying oil food, aid food items like wheat, sorghum, maize and others. Refugees are also selling the surplus of the aid items in the exchange for cloth, vegetables and difference services. Moreover, soon the arrival of large numbers of refugees in the area, there was a flow of large amount of aid food to the area. This enabled the refugees to have excess food to sell in the market to pay for their needs of food items and material which was not on the aid list. This surplus aid food sold in the market at the cheap price. Similarly, refugees sell for the local people plastic sheet, blanket, metal, shoe and other aid materials by the cheap price. As refugees are providing these goods and services to the market, trading in and around the refugee camp attract many small business owners in to the area. In this case, for their economy both refugees and host communities are interdependent. As pointed out by the study participants, there are refugees who are using their own skills and knowledge to make different kind of material like shoes, rope and bag using lathers of animals mainly from goat. At the same time they are making chair, table, bed, box, small chair and other decoration from bamboo trees and other materials. Therefore, they are purchasing all raw material from the local communities. Refugees are also bought firewood and charcoal from the local communities. These all activities are open an economic opportunities for the local communities. Similarly there are refugee who sell non-food items to the local communities as, soaps and other related material that they received from their support so as to buy the locally produced product they need. According to the respondents from the host communities and refugees, most of the time the refugees of the grate lake region does not used aid food items given to them from the supporting agencies. Therefore, they sell it and purchase other food items like rice, cassava and others from the market. This is mainly because they have Franco-culture and did not use other food items which are similar to the Sudanese and the local communities. In relation with this as respondents indicated that, refugees are buying different necessities from market like cloth, vegetable, fruits and others. Likewise, this is the means of economic income for the host community who are supplying the items to the market. Moreover, since refugees are usually with the same types of food items on monthly bases that same of them brings these items includes wheat, vegetable oil, sugar and bean with the low price and buy other types of food items produced by the host community. On the other dimension, as the respondents indicated that, refugees of the Sherkole camp are participated as a consumer of different goods and services in the market. The refugees of this area have high demand for various goods and services of the local host community mainly food and related items since refugees are not allowed to participate in agricultural and related activities in the area. As also respondents showed that many of refugees of this area have good purchasing power of good and services. The study participant also underlined that there are refugees who receive remittance from their relatives living out of the country. Additionally, as respondents show that, there are refugees who are rent labor force and earn the income from the local people. By using the support they get from the outside and the income they earn from their labor, large numbers of refugees purchased food items they required from the local market originally produced and supplied by the host community to supplement their monthly consumption. As correspondingly respondents pointed out that, there is the change of the price on the different items highly on the market. The change is the result that, the producers are very small but the consumers are very high. Moreover, the local people do not provide sufficient product to the market. Similarly as respondents indicate, the presence of refugees in the area leads to the short durable of the local product and finished within a short period of time. Therefore, the local product is not sustained for the long period of time. This showed that both refugees and local communities are consumed by the competition. This competition leads for the price increment of good and services in the area. As respondent indicated, refugees are taking loan from the local community and refuse to pay back, when the one who give loan ask to take back, they quarrel and denied to give back for the individuals. Due to this event there is an individual who loss up to 100 kg of the local product. This is another activity of refugees which bankrupt the local community economy. Moreover, as the study participant pointed out that, there is the change of the price of goods and service in this area, the food and non-food items around the shop are dramatically changed. For example, before the coming of the high influx of refugees in the area 1kg of maize was 2EBr but now 1kg of maize is 4EBr, similarly the prices of other local product crops are increased. Again in the hotel the price of food is increased from 8EBr to 15EBr, 1kg of meat which was 80EBr increased to 120EBr. Likewise in the cafeteria 1 cup of tea was 1EBr but now it is increased to 2EBr, 1 cup of coffee from 2EBr increased to 3EBr. This evidence shows that there is dramatic change of the price of every item in the area because of the incoming of high influx of refugees and other people who are employed in the implement partners to serve the refugees. The change of the price of the items has shown that, for those who brought small amount of product has high amount of income because they sell by the high price what they produce and supply to the market. On the contrary for the large buyers it leads to the highest price. This is because the amount of production produced and the amount of population used the production are unbalanced. As respondents showed, at the same time before the coming of refugees in the area, the local communities are not producing the production for the market and also the price of the production was not high as to day. After the influx of the refugees to the area, there is the change of the price of the production. According to the respondents who are employed in the implement partner to serve the refugees, there is the high change of the price of different goods and services in the recent time in this area. The increment of the price of items is enabling the producer to produce more than before. This is because to have better income from the production. For example, the one who rear goat is doing more because refugees are used goat for feeding. This helps the local people to increase their own income. Therefore, the price of items and products used for consumption are highly increased because there is high amount of people and consumer who used it. So the supply and demand is not balanced. One of the respondents explains his ideas to express the increment of the price of good and service in the area as; # Volume XVIII Issue IV Version I "In fact in relation to the coming of refugees in the area, there is positive and negative impact, but the negative impact is more magnified because there is an increment of the price on each and every item. This change of the price of any production can cause the shortage of food items in relation with the weak working habit of the local community". VI. # Discussion of the Result In all the study considers the impact of the presence of refugees on the host community who are living surrounding the Sherkole camp. Notably, the study makes the discussions on the socio-cultural and economic impact of refugees on the host community of Sherkole camp. Particularly, the host communities are benefited from the presence of refugees in the areas of social service, health care, education, clean water and sanitation. With this the study makes remarks on the discussion done. The finding of the study shows that the presence of the refugees in Sherkole camp in western Ethiopia has substantial social impact on the surrounding host community. According to the study the impact has both positive and negative like the study conducted in different parts of the world. As finding of the study indicated that both host and refugee communities share social and cultural elements in common that make strong their co-existence. Due to the positive social and cultural interaction between host and refugee communities, refugees borrow different kinds of things including animals from the host communities. Moreover, host communities and refugees are celebrated national and international holiday like world environment day and world refugee day. As a matter of chance the host community reflected their own culture and value to the international communities. Yet, the presence of better social relation and interaction helped the host community to acquire knowledge and skills from the refugees. Similarly, as the study done by UNHCR (1997), on social and economic impact of large refugee populations on host developing countries, refugee are bring various skills and knowledge with them that can be utilized to the benefits of local people. Therefore, the local community acquired from the refugees how to speak English, motivation and attitude for education and the skills to build the home from clay mud block, making the fence from the combination of grass, bamboo trees and wood. The host community are also acquired the skills and knowledge from the refugees that, how to making table, chair, toiler, bee keeping, table, bed and bead and other materials by using bamboo trees with different design. Furthermore, the local communities acquired from refugees how to construct durable house and covered by the grass from the beginning up to the end. Similarly, the host community acquired technique of good food preparation, body hygiene, toilet utilization, how to take their child to the school, how to be treated by the doctor, how to solve their own problem by the local elders and how to participate in community development work. However, the presence of refugees in Sherkole refugee camp has negatively influence and disturbed the culture and value of the host community. As finding of the study shows that, refugees are disturbing peace and security by making hostility with the local community on the utilization of natural resources. Refugees are also the cause for the prevalence of prostitution in the area which is pave the way for HIV/AIDS and other sexual transmitted disease. Mostly refugees are claimed by the local community for their incidence of crime related to rape, promotion of drug addiction like shish/hash, chate, alcoholism, cigarette and others. As a result the local youth are adopted the conduct from refugees. Likewise, the stealing and robing activities of the refugees badly harm the local communities and there are the youth who are participate and support refugee the action which do not exist before. Similarly, as the study donebyIkanda (2008) on Deteriorating condition of hosting refugees; A case study of Dadaab complex in Kenya, realized that, refugees case security problem and incidence of crime at Dadaab camp rape, cattle theft, fight, drinking alcohol and are blamed for the introduction of HIV/AIDS at the camp area. Moreover, due to the high presence of stealing in the Sherkole refugee camp area there is an assessment done by the local teachers and other elites in collaboration with UNICEF on the behalf of the local communities. Then after the result of the assessment showed that there is high amount of theft in the area. After all, the result of assessment is announced to the all communities by the three languages Amharic, English and Arabic which say "stealing property of the other is forbidden by the law". The objective of this assessment is to defend theft from the area for the long period of time and to create awareness for the local youths who are participating and support the refugees the robbing activities. As finding of the study show that, there are two groups of refugees who are settled in Sherkole refugee camp. These are north and south Sudanese and great lack region refugees. Yet, refugees from great lack region are unique in their culture, language, religion, feeding style, wearing style, preparation of food and the types of items they used for food from Sudanese and host communities. Mostly the great lack region refugees used rice, bean, cassava and others for food. Their culture is Franco-culture and speaks English, French and their own language. As a result of these differences they do not interact and communicated with the host communities. As finding of the study indicated that the presence of refugee in Sherkole camp benefited more the host communities in some social services. Similarly, as the study done by UNHCR(2014), on the role of host countries-the cost and impact of Hosting refugees, host communities often benefits from the social services provided by outside agencies to refugees. Likewise, due to the presence of refugees in Sherkole camp different supporting organizations came to the area to provide primarily social services to the refugees mainly education, health services, clean water, sanitation and hygiene and generators. Yet, the social services were constructed objectively for the benefits of refugees, but in directly that are benefited the host communities who are living surrounding the camp. Here, in the case of health service it was constructed for the refugees, after a time it was began to give service for the local host communities equal to the refugees including mothers during deliver time without limitation and free payment. In the case of education host communities are benefited because the supporting agencies like UNHCR constructed the school and provide different education equipment for the school and provide even modes for the female students of the host communities. Also in the case of education English skill training center is opened and give the service for the local teenagers to develop the English language skills of the local communities. Moreover, the provision of clean water is another benefit of the local host communities that at the beginning it was aimed for the refugees. However, the refugee supporting agencies did not reject the local communities to provide them clean water and sanitation hygiene service as they are doing for the refugee communities. IRC and UNHCR constructed numbers of borehole water and sanitation hygiene facilities for the host communities as they did it for the refugee communities. The presence of refugees in Sherkole refugee camp of western Ethiopia has economic impacts on the host community. As the finding of the study show that, the presence of refugee camp in Sherkole has both positive and negative impact on the host communities who are living surround the camp as similar to the social one. In this situation the host communities have an access to buy oil food and aid items by the low price from the refugees. Likewise, refugees are selling their own aid items for the exchange of different goods and services. At the same time refugees are sell to the local communities' plastic sheet, blanket, metal and other materials by the low price. On the other hand refugees are buying firewood, charcoal and bamboo trees to making chair, table, bed, box and other materials for decorations and also buying animal skin for making shoe, rope and bag by using their knowledge and skills. This is open an economic opportunity for the local communities. Also there are educated and noneducated local people who are employed in the supporting agencies which helped them to increase their own economic income to support their family. Again the interaction of the refugees and the local communities for the exchange of different types of items and production is led for the creation of market center in the sherkole refugee camp area. Similarly, as the study conducted by UNHCR (1997), on Social and economic impact of large refugee populations on host developing countries, showed that, the presence of refugees benefited the local people through the local purchases of food, non-food items, payment by the aid workers, the properties brought by refugees themselves as well as employment and income increased to local population directly or indirectly. On the other hand the economy of the area is increased the cost of living within the community that, food and other commodities are become very expensive. Similarly, the study done by M.Lozi (2013) on the effect of Refugees on Host country Economy evidence from Jordan, showed the arrival of large numbers of refugees will lead to price rise in the host state market the rise of the market will affect the local people. Yet again, refugees are participate to purchasing different goods and service in the market by using their income they received from remittance and the income they received from labor force to buy the original product from the market. This event creates competition between the local communities and refugees on the local product. As a result the local product is not sustained for the long period of time. This is lead to an increment of the price of goods and service in the area. Consequently, the price of items and production used for consumption are highly increased with the increment of the incoming of the people in the area. Likewise the study conducted by Whitaker (2002) on Refugees in Western Tanzania; the distribution of burdens and benefits among local host, realized that the presence of refugees increased food security in local village and even after they started to receiving ration, they continued to depend on local crops for the diversification of their diets. As finding of the study showed that the presence of refugees in Sherkole refugee camp of western Ethiopia has the impact on the local administration, ARRA and IP in the case of controlling, managing refugees from different incidence of crime. In this case, refugees are stealing and robbing the property of the host communities like goat, maize, sorghum and the home of the host communities. As a result, the administrative body of ARRA, local and IP are tends to compromise the two groups for peaceful coexistence. Similarly, ARRA and camp leaders from refugees form collaboration to manage and solve hostility and security problem in the area. There is tripartite agreement between ARRA and IP organization in order to manage and provide the necessary service for the refugees. In this case ARRA is played the camp management role by providing food, health care and other alternative provision like primary school, sanitation and hygiene. IP are doing on refugees through the supervision of ARRA. ARRA is keeping the security of the refugees in the camp and provide comfortable environment for refugees. Moreover, there are different implement partners in Sherkole refugee camp who are providing different services for the refugees and host communities. Here IRC is providing clean water for refugees and local communities and also doing on gender based violence (GVB). At the same time NRC is provides adult education and work on live hood in the Sherkole camp. SCI is providing educational equipment and support children from K.G up to the primary school. RaDO is doing on disabled and provide wheel chair and eye glass for the people who have sight problem. NRDEP is doing on environmental protection and management. These all IP are come to the area in the name of refugees and contributing every necessity for the host community equivalent to the refugees. # VII. Conclusion and Recommendation a) Conclusion It is clear that the refugees who are in Sherkole camp are crossing international border and come to settle in the camp. The arrivals of these refugees, impact the social and economic situation of the host communities positively and negatively. However, refugees and host communities of Sherkole camp have share social and cultural elements that make them to live together easily. They have similar language and religion which help them to have better communication. Due to the presence of better communication, host communities acquired knowledge and skills from the refugees. They developed language skills, hardworking, motivation and attitude for education from refugees. Local communities are acquiring the skills of making fence from combination of grass, bamboo trees and woods. They also acquired the construction of home from clay mud, durable house and how to cover the house by the grass from the beginning up to the end. They also acquired the skills to making table, chair and other materials by using bamboo trees with different design and the knowledge and the skills of good food preparation, body hygiene and sanitation. Beside the host community reflected their own culture and value to the international community's as they participate together to celebrate international holiday, world refugee and world environment day. In the contrary to the positive social impact, refugees cause a negative impact to the social condition of the host communities of Sherkole camp. Following their arrival refugees are causing the problem of peace and security, promoting prostitution, incidence of crime, alcoholism, theft, drug addiction and rape that do not seen in the area before. Obviously, there is hostility between refugees and host communities on the utilization of natural resources and due to the reducing amount of the ration aid given to them from the international supporting agencies. Moreover, refugees are highly promoting theft, stealing and robbing the properties of the local communities. Here, especially the robbing and stealing behavior of the refugees are headache and bother act for the local communities. Refugees are promoting drug addiction, chewing chat, smoking cigarette and in taking shisha/ hash and addictive of alcoholism to the local youth. Host communities of Sherkole camp are benefited, due to the coming of refugees by providing them social services equal to the refugees. The host communities have got the accesses of health center, clean water and generator due to the presence of refugees in the area. With the arrival of refugees, UNHCR and ARRA constructed the social services for the host communities. Similarly refugees are impact positively and negatively the economy of the host community. In case the host communities are benefited from the presence of refugees by selling the local products to them and buying different goods and services from refugees. At the same time refugees are selling their food aid for the exchange of vegetables and other diets which were not on the aid list. Refugees are also selling for the local community plastic sheet, blanket, metal, shoe and other aid materials by the low price. As refugees and host communities provide goods and services to the market, there is the creation of tread center and small business owners in the area. Moreover, refugees are open economic opportunities through buying firewood and charcoal form the local communities. Furthermore, Refugees are buying different necessities like cloth, vegetables, fruits and others from the market. This is a means of an income for the host communities who are supplying them to the market. There are the refugees who rent their labor to earn an income and receive remittance from abroad. By using these, they purchased large amount of locally produced food items which resulted in an increment of the price of food items in the market. There is also the change of the price of items in the market due to the The Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Neighboring Countries: The Case of Sherkole Refugee Camp, Western Ethiopia ## Year 2018 The Socio-Economic Impact of Refugees on the Neighboring Countries: The Case of Sherkole Refugee Camp, Western Ethiopia presence of high consumer and insufficient production supplied to the market. This is caused the shortage of locally produced items. This is also cause competition between refugees and host communities on the consumption of the local production. These competitions led to the increment of the price of goods and services in the area. There is also the dramatic change of the price of food and non-food items around the shop in the area. The dramatic change prices of the items are the result of high influx of refugees and other people who are employed in the supporting agencies. Therefore, the increment price of items in the market is positive for producers who supply it to the market and in the contrary it is negative for the buyers and consumers. Due to the increment of the price of production the one who engaged on production produce more to maximize their own profits. ARRA is the governmental organization which is supervising the whole activities of implement partners. ARRA and IP have form tripartite treaties to do on the case of refugees. Therefore, ARRA play a role of camp management, distribution of food, health care, provision of primary school and WASH related awareness. ARRA is also defending the security and well-being of the refugees. The local leaders are also collaborated with ARRA and IP to defending the peace and securities of refugees and the host communities. Mostly refugees are robbing the property of the local communities and hostile with the host communities on the natural resources. At this time local leaders collaborated with the ARRA and IP to protect the security of the area. Moreover, other IP who are coming in the area in the name of refugees are providing different services for the host community equivalent to refugees. ## b) Recommendations By stating the above finding, I hope this work can contribute to an additional perspective in the field of international relation on the issues of the socioeconomic impact of refugees on the neighboring countries in general and Sherkole camp in particular. So, I want to suggest better possible option required to deal with the socio-economic impact of refugees on the Sherkole camp. Thus, basically refugee camp set as a temporary settlement for refugees and assumed to serve refugees for a short period of time. Similarly, Sherkole refugee camp was assumed to serve refugees for a limited period of time. Therefore, this thesis suggests the following recommendation. ? Repatriation of refugees to their original country is the best option ever, since the pushing factor for refugee flight might civil war, natural disasters and war are not elongated problem. ? ARRA and Ethiopian government should reform camp policies which necessarily defend the social and economic condition of the local communities who are living around the camp. ? ARRA and UNHCR should strongly control the robbing behaviors of the refugees by making strong relation with the local leaders. ? UNHCR and supporting agencies should increase their support and diversified the food and non-food aid. ? UNHCR and IP supporting agencies should continue to supply the social services to the host communities as before to maintain the hostility between host and refugee community on the social services. ? 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