A core objective of ReDSS Ethiopia’s engagement in the research, analysis and knowledge management pillar is to increase the availability, accessibility and utilisation of relevant and timely analysis and information on durable solutions to inform better programming and policy dialogue. We have learned to date 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 to build off what already exists. This trend calls for a coordinated approach and strategy to set a common agenda and research questions seeking to pursue shared interests.

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