Damian Zane BBC, Ethiopia

Some view the initiative with cynicism

The government is now saying that the first groups of people have been moved, some time after the plan was first mooted.

The announcement comes as 11m people face food shortages and another three million are considered to be in a critical situation.

But the government has to tread carefully as the resettlement programme under the previous military regime was a disaster.

The government envisages that tens of thousands will be involved, but stresses that the resettlement will be voluntary.

Information Minister Bereket Simon says that only those who want to leave their homes will be moved.

About 23 years ago, the previous regime of exiled dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, tried to move at least 600,000 people, many by force, from the drought hit north of the country to the west.

When they arrived the necessary infrastructure was not in place and the project was condemned.

Mindful of the spectre of the past, the government says that this new policy is well thought through.

Scepticism

It says it has identified people that want to move and has under-utilised land for them to go to.

But there has been some scepticism expressed by non-governmental organisations here that the necessary infrastructure is in place.

Also, local governments are required to fill quotas and some therefore have wondered whether the process is entirely voluntary.

The government's document does admit that there may be problems along the way, and the resettlement programme will be modified to account for these.

Donor countries are expected to partly finance the resettlement programme.

One diplomatic source said that there is no problem with the principle of resettlement as long as it is truly voluntary.