Ethiopia's parliament has passed legislation banning the adoption of children by foreigners.
The legislation is said to encourage orphans to be adopted in their own country to shield them from abuse. Ethiopia is a popular location for Hollywood stars when it comes to adoption with the likes of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt having adopted from there.
During the Tuesday session, some members of parliament said they were enough local adoption facilities for adoptees whereas others argued that the country has insufficient services to cater for such children.
Questions over whether "adoptees" are genuine orphaned children and reports of physical abuse and even death of Ethiopian children in the hands of foreign foster parents have caused concerns over flaws in the adoption screening system in Ethiopia. A few years ago, a 13-year-old girl died mysteriously in the US leading to the conviction of her adopted parents.
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Several Western countries such as Denmark have also suspended adoptions from Ethiopia for with concerns being raised over possible human trafficking cases.