A core objective of ReDSS Ethiopia’s engagement in the research, analysis and knowledge management pillar is to increase the availability, accessibility and utilization of relevant and timely analysis and information on durable solutions in order to inform better programming and policy dialogue. What we have learned to date is that ReDSS members and partners in Ethiopia have been increasingly using evidence for their work, but that this evidence is not always carried out collaboratively or with a view towards building off of what already exists. This trend calls for a coordinated approach and strategy in order to set out a common agenda and research questions which seek to pursue shared interests.

In 2019, the ReDSS Ethiopia research team carried out a number of activities to support the development of a common research agenda for the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in the country. This included: the development of a research synthesis paper based on mapping existing literature; organising or contributing to a number of seminars and discussions in Addis Ababa and elsewhere; and strengthening informal coordination of the refugee research community. This work is continuing in 2020, with a focus on activities designed to increase the reach and accessibility of ongoing research, encourage discussion and debate amongst key stakeholders and stimulate innovation in what is a challenging period for forced displacement actors in Ethiopia.