Addis Abeba — Born and raised in a small town in Tigray's Central Zone, Alexander Kidu, 29, and Mareg Abreha, 28, embody the struggles of hundreds of thousands of youth navigating the grim job market in their post-war homeland.
Their hopes, like those of many others, had been pinned on the Pretoria Peace Agreement of November 2022, which promised a renewed Tigray and a chance to build prosperous futures. Yet, as the region's recovery dragged on, opportunities remained scarce, pushing Alexander and Mareg--as well as countless others--to seek livelihoods abroad.
Driven by desperation, Alexander and Mareg made the heartbreaking decision to flee to Libya this year, hoping to reach Europe. Their decision to migrate through illegal channels, enduring perilous conditions such as the arduous journey across the Sahara Desert to Libya, plunged their families into despair.
Letegeorgis Micheal, Alexander's mother and a veteran of the recent war between the TPLF and the federal government, carries the physical and emotional scars of the conflict, compounded by debilitating injuries that prevent her from working. On top of this, Letegeorgis has faced severe hardship since her son's departure.
"Since his departure, basic necessities have become scarce, and poverty weighs heavily upon me," she explained.
Until recently, Letegeorgis clung to the hope that her son would send financial support from abroad, alleviating her dire situation. However, her hopes were crushed when she received devastating news of his plight in Libya recently. Alexander had fallen into the hands of human traffickers and was suffering brutal mistreatment at their hands.
Since his departure, basic necessities have become scarce, and poverty weighs heavily upon me." Letegeorgis Micheal, a mother of a migrant from the Tigray region
"Recently, I received videos of him being savagely beaten by these ruthless traffickers," Letegeorgis told Addis Standard with a voice heavy with anguish. "They have called and demanded a ransom of 1.3 million birr."
Letegeorgis, however, asserts that she is utterly incapable of raising the ransom demanded for his release. "This leaves me with nothing but despair," she lamented.
Like Letegeorgis, Mareg's family and relatives remain in a state of profound despair.
Before his departure on 18 November, 2024, Mareg lived with his grandmother until her passing, after which his uncle, Tekeste Tesfamariam, assumed responsibility for raising him.
"Shortly after he left for abroad, I learned that he had fallen into the hands of traffickers in Libya," Tekeste told Addis Standard. He added, "The traffickers sent me videos of him being brutally beaten and later called, demanding 1.3 million birr--a sum I cannot afford."
Detained in Libya, Alexander and Mareg are currently enduring unimaginable conditions while their families struggle to raise the exorbitant sum of money demanded by the traffickers, an impossible task for impoverished families who are struggling to meet their basic needs.
Alexander and Mareg are not isolated cases. Tens of thousands of Tigrayan youths, driven by the lack of job opportunities and limited economic prospects in the region, have fled in search of a better life--only to encounter the horrors of human trafficking in Libya and other destinations.
In an interview with Addis Standard, Hayish Subagadis, Head of Tigray's Youth Affairs Bureau, revealed that the number of young people migrating illegally from the region is increasing at an alarming rate, primarily due to the scarcity of employment opportunities.
Hayish estimates that approximately 32,000 young people migrate illegally from Tigray to foreign countries each month.
Tesfaye Gebremedhin, a lecturer at Mekelle University, stated that the devastating war in the Tigray region has left its youth at a crossroads. "The war left an indelible mark on the lives of millions, and for many young people, the aftermath has resulted in a period of uncertainty, trauma, and displacement," he remarked.
Tesfaye emphasized that, as they navigate the complex challenges of post-war recovery, many youths in Tigray are choosing to migrate, motivated by a combination of scarcity and the hope for a better future.
Deadly Migration Routes
Irregular migrants from Tigray primarily rely on two major routes to escape from Ethiopia. The Northern Migration Route, used by Alexander and Mareg, facilitates migration from Ethiopia and other parts of Africa to Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea through Libya.
This route poses significant risks. Migrants often fall victim to attacks by criminal gangs who rob them of all their belongings. Women, in particular, face heightened risks of sexual violence during the journey.
Additionally, migrants are vulnerable to abuse by smugglers and traffickers, who frequently subject them to extortion, forced labor, and, in some cases, sexual exploitation.
Compounding these dangers are corrupt border authorities along African routes who exploit their positions to extort money from desperate migrants like Alexander and Mareg.
The journey through the Sahara Desert is especially perilous, with many migrants losing their lives during the crossing.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 6,048 people have died or gone missing while transiting the Sahara Desert to Libya and Algeria since 2014. However, this figure for fatalities is believed to be significantly underreported.
Reports suggest that Libya's unstable political landscape has facilitated the emergence of refugee detention centers and illegal prisons as major hubs for ransoming abducted refugees intercepted during their attempts to cross the country.
Although precise figures are difficult to obtain, it is estimated that among the 47,000 refugees and migrants who arrived in Italy from Libya in 2023, a significant number likely endured periods of illegal detention in Libya.
Addis Standard has received pictures sent to Alexander's mother, Letegeorgis, by his traffickers in Libya, who are demanding a ransom of 1.3 million birr for his release. In these pictures, Alexander is shown enduring torture, with visible marks on his back, shoulders, and legs.
Tesfaye described the youth of Tigray as trapped in a cycle of unemployment and despair, a grim legacy of the devastating war and its aftermath.
"With limited opportunities and little hope for a better future, many young people are driven to take desperate measures, even enduring severe beatings and torture in the deserts of Libya and Saudi Arabia," he stated. "Tragically, some view these hostile environments as more bearable than their homeland."
According to Tesfaye, parents and families are left pleading for the survival of their children, often displaying pictures of their loved ones in churches and on the streets. "This heart-wrenching sight becomes even more prevalent during annual festivals," he emphasized.
The Eastern Migration Route, extending from Ethiopia through Djibouti and across the treacherous Gulf of Aden to Yemen and Saudi Arabia, is the second major path used by irregular migrants from Tigray.
Last year, Addis Standard reported a rising trend of young people from the war-torn Tigray region seeking alternative means to reach the Arabian Peninsula. Many undertake perilous journeys from Djibouti's coast, crossing the hazardous Gulf of Aden in pursuit of better opportunities. However, this route has become increasingly dangerous, raising serious safety concerns.
An anonymous witness shared his experience with Addis Standard, recounting his journey from Mekelle to Addis Ababa via the Afar region. During the trip, he encountered a bus predominantly filled with young people, including girls, from Tigray. Upon arriving in Semera, the capital of the Afar region, and a nearby area called Serdo, most passengers disembarked, expressing their intent to travel onward to Djibouti and ultimately to the Arabian Peninsula.
For years, Djibouti has served as a critical transit point for migrants and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa seeking to reach the Arabian Peninsula irregularly. Beginning in 2022, however, the country witnessed a sharp increase in migrants and asylum seekers arriving from Ethiopia.
According to the IOM, the number of migrants entering Djibouti through monitoring points such as Balho, Galafi, Dikhil, and Ali-Sabieh rose significantly between June and October 2024, from approximately 18,000 to 22,600. Over the entire year of 2024, a total of 184,720 individuals from Ethiopia crossed these points--an 82% increase compared to the same period in 2023 (101,585) and a 50% rise from the total number in 2023 (122,968).
The UN agency reported that the primary regions of origin for migrants from Ethiopia were Tigray (39%), Amhara (36%), Oromia (18%), and Afar (4%).
Stakeholders warn that this route is becoming increasingly dangerous, with parents receiving death notifications and ransom demands exceeding one million birr from smugglers operating in Yemen and other transit countries.
A study by the Mixed Migration Centre estimated the extortion business associated with the Eastern Route to be highly lucrative. Based on a multi-year monthly average of approximately 8,300 migrants using the route (excluding COVID-19 years), the extortion industry is valued at an estimated $9-13 million per month, or $108-156 million annually.
Migrant boat tragedies have also been a recurring issue in 2024, as individuals attempt to cross the sea from Djibouti to the Arabian Peninsula. According to the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, 337 irregular migrants have died due to drowning along this route in 2024 alone.
From War to Desperation
Tesfaye explained that one of the primary factors driving migration among Tigray's youth is the severe economic hardship worsened by war.
"The region's infrastructure has been decimated, leaving limited job opportunities, particularly for young people," he stated. "Many youths who had hoped to pursue higher education or embark on careers find that, without sufficient resources, and in a region where basic services are still struggling to recover, the prospects of building a future in Tigray have become increasingly grim."
Tesfaye further highlighted the immense psychological toll of the war.
"Young people in Tigray have witnessed unimaginable violence, lost loved ones, and been forced to flee their homes," he emphasized. "The trauma resulting from these experiences has fostered a strong desire to escape the region in search of peace and stability elsewhere."
The chances of securing employment in Tigray are extremely limited, as the region is still grappling with the economic devastation caused by the war." Hayish Subagadis, Head of Tigray's Youth Affairs Bureau
Hayish agrees with Tesfaye's assessment.
"The chances of securing employment in Tigray are extremely limited, as the region is still grappling with the economic devastation caused by the war," he stated.
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Hayish further noted that the region is currently experiencing a severe economic crisis, leaving many young people hopeless. "Faced with hunger and witnessing their families' suffering, many choose to migrate abroad illegally rather than endure these hardships," he added.
To gauge the unemployment rate in the region, Hayish noted that his office conducted an assessment in 49 of Tigray's 93 districts. The results revealed that 385,000 young people are currently registered as job seekers.
"Despite government efforts, including collaboration with NGOs to create temporary and permanent job opportunities for around 158,000 youth last year, these initiatives remain inadequate given the scale of unemployment in the region," Hayish highlighted.
He attributed the dire situation to a lack of adequate focus from both the regional and federal governments on addressing the economic crisis and creating sustainable employment opportunities.
Tesfaye also argues that several factors contribute to this crisis, but, most importantly, a leadership failure has left the youth feeling abandoned and hopeless.
He outlined several key measures to address the challenges facing Tigray's youth.
"First, he emphasized the urgent need for leadership reform in the region to ensure greater accountability and a renewed focus on the specific needs of young people. This reform would guide the region toward addressing the challenges youth face in a post-conflict era," he recommended.
Additionally, Tesfaye stressed the importance of educating and raising awareness among young people about the potential dangers they may encounter, particularly the risk of exploitation by brokers. "By empowering youth with the knowledge to make informed decisions, they could better navigate the complex landscape of recovery and migration," he explained.
Another critical solution Tesfaye proposed was the arrest and punishment of brokers who prey on the desperation of young people, luring them into dangerous situations for personal gain. "These exploitative practices have exacerbated the suffering of Tigray's youth, and addressing them would help protect vulnerable individuals from further harm," he noted.
Lastly, Tesfaye called for the creation of job opportunities and access to financial resources, such as loans, to enable young people to build their futures within Tigray.
"These efforts require the collective action of Tigray's leaders, religious institutions, civil society organizations, and local and international charities," he emphasized. "The survival and progress of Tigray's youth depend on a united commitment to addressing this crisis."
