Yemen: Information on whether Yemenis born in Ethiopia are citizens of Ethiopia or have the right to claim Ethiopian citizenship, and whether such people have difficulties in Yemen
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 July 1997 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | YEM27126.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Yemen: Information on whether Yemenis born in Ethiopia are citizens of Ethiopia or have the right to claim Ethiopian citizenship, and whether such people have difficulties in Yemen, 1 July 1997, YEM27126.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad1250.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Article 6 of Ethiopia's constitution deals with nationality. The following is the text of the article:
1. Any person of either sex shall be an Ethiopian national where both or either parent is Ethiopian.
2. Foreign nationals may acquire Ethiopian nationality.
3. Particulars relating to nationality shall be determined by law. (Blaustein Jan. 1997, 3)
According to Article 33.4 of Ethiopia's constitution,
Ethiopian nationality may be conferred upon foreigners in accordance with law enacted and procedures established consistent with international agreements ratified by Ethiopia. (ibid., 11)
The following information was provided to the DIRB in a 3 July 1997 telephone interview with an official at the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Ottawa. Ethiopian law does not recognize dual citizenship for Ethiopian citizens. Any Ethiopian-born Yemeni would have to renounce his or her Yemeni citizenship in order to claim Ethiopian citizenship on the basis of his or her place of birth. Ethiopia does not have a nationality law as such; provisions relating to Ethiopian citizenship are contained within Ethiopia's constitution.
For information on Ethiopian citizenship, please see the following: Responses to Information Requests ETH25585.E of 20 December 1996 and ETH20690.E of 18 May 1995; The Horn of Africa: Multiple Citizenship of Ethnic Somalis, published by the DIRB in June 1991 as part of the Question and Answer series, available in all Regional Documentation centres; and the section on "Citizenship in Ethiopia" in Ethiopia: Update on Political Conditions, a Country Report published in December 1994 by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), accessible through the REFWORLD database on SHARENET.
For information on Yemeni law relating to citizenship, please see Response to Information Request YEM26211.E of 27 February 1997, to which an unofficial translation of Yemen's nationality law is attached, YEM23464.E of 4 April 1996, and YEM23706.E and YEM23431.E, both of 26 March 1996.
The DIRB has not been able to find information on any difficulties that may be experienced by Ethiopian-born Yemenis.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Blaustein, Albert P. January 1997. Vol. 6. "Ethiopia," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gilbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications.
Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. 3 July 1997. Telephone interview with an official.
Additional Sources Consulted
Databases and on-line sources: FBIS, Global NewsBank, REFMEDIA, REFWORLD.
