International African Friends of Abyssinia International African Friends of Abyssinia The International African Friends of Abyssinia (IAFA), also known as the International African Friends of Ethiopia, was an organisation established in London, England, in 1935 to protest against Italian aggression against Abyssinia (see Second Italo-Ethiopian War). Its membership was composed of many important Pan-African figures, several of whom later formed the International African Service Bureau. IAFA's first public meeting was held on 23 July 1935, with another public meeting taking place on Sunday, 28 July at Memorial Hall in Farringdon Street, London, and was widely reported in newspapers. Throughout the summer of 1935, the IAFA
Migration to Abyssinia taken place in a number of smaller groups rather than two large parties, while the appearance of the two lists reflected the controversies surrounding assignment of priority on official registers during the reign of the second caliph Umar. Events that took place after the emigration are reported by Ibn Ishaq. When the Quraysh learned that Muhammad's companions could safely practice their religion in Abyssinia, they decided to send an embassy to the Negus to demand return of the fugitives. They selected two envoys, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and Abdullah bin Rabiah, and gave them gifts for the king and his generals.