Abstract:
The objective of this study was to assess the role and practices of the public relations of
UNHCR in building smooth relationship between the refugee and the host community in
Itang Special woreda in Gambella region. Ethiopia has been hosting refuges from South
Sudan since 1960s and the arrival of this refugee created social tension with local population.
In fact, there have been numerous efforts to measure the costs and benefits associated with
hosting refugees, especially in the policy arena and host-refugee relations in the area. The
study predominantly focuses on answering, what is the role of public relation of UNHCR in
building smooth relations between Refuges and Host community, what are the public
practices and mechanism employed by UNHCR in building smooth relations between
Refuges and Host community. What is the effect in public relations practices in building
smooth relations between Refuges and Host community in the area? To get the answer to
these questions the study employed a qualitative method. Data were collected through indepth interviews, FDG, observation and also documents review tools. And the populations
which were engage or participate on data collection respond were UNHCR, Refugee and the
host community and the total selected were eighty( 84) in which fifty(50) were male and
thirty( 30) were female. The overall findings of this study reveal that the host community and
refugees have a good relationship. Relation between refugees and host communities in Itang
stressed the importance of identifying programs and projects that aimed at shaping
communities relations. Resources sharing and service integration mutual combined with
public engagement were used to building smooth relations, and ensuring building relations
and trust between communities but PR in particular is not based on professional standards of
public relations and effective communication strategies. The public relations practitioners are
using poor communications tools that may lead to the various undesirable effects, such as
information gap, public displeasure, and inefficient use of valuable resources. This is because
the public relations practitioners have no clear direct communication with refugee and using
ineffective communications strategies While, this show the significance gap that can be seen
in access on this study therefore, the researcher recommends for improvement of such an
services and an efforts provision, for avoiding the further negative impacts on community‟s
peaceful co-existence
