$45 million needed to support migrants in the Horn of Africa

IOM, the UN Migration Agency, has launched a Regional Migrant Response Plan in collaboration with its partners to support migrants in the Horn of Africa and Yemen. The agency has appealed for $45 million for the plan which will support 81,000 migrants from 2018 to 2020.

The plan has been developed alongside regional and country level NGO and intragovernmental partners. It is a humanitarian and development strategy that focuses on vulnerable migrants from the Horn of Africa, notably those from Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia, moving to and from Yemen.

The region has experienced a significant increase in people crossing the Gulf of Aden in both directions due to deteriorating living conditions, driven by conflict and natural disasters.

Jeffrey Labovitz, IOM Regional Director for the East and Horn of Africa commented:

“This Regional Migrant Response Plan will guide IOM and its partners in addressing the growing needs of irregular migrants moving between the Horn of Africa and Yemen”

“The humanitarian needs in the region remain immense, which leave migrants and host communities in a vulnerable situation”

Irregular migration from the Horn of Africa to Gulf nations has been increasing, with approximately 100,000 people entering Yemen in 2017. Migrants from Djibouti and Somalia often arrive in Yemen with the support of smugglers.

Similarly, approximately 200,000 people are expected to return from Yemen and Saudi Arabia to the Horn of Africa in 2018. Of these 150,000 will return to Ethiopia and 50,000 to Somalia.

The countries along this migration route are suffering with numerous humanitarian challenges; for example, in Yemen 20 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Similarly, Ethiopia and Somalia are also in the midst of complex emergencies driven by natural disasters and conflict.

IOM’s migration plan will target 81,000 of the most vulnerable people, including: women, unaccompanied children, elderly, ethnic and religious minorities, disabled people, victims of trafficking, indigenous people and victims of violence.

The plan includes key humanitarian activities such as return registrations, psychosocial support for abuse survivors, transportation assistance and economic reintegration support.

Additionally, the IOM will work with governments to improve capacities on migration management, rescue at sea interventions and sustainable infrastructure.

The AIDF Africa Summit will return to Nairobi in February 2019.

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Image credit: IOM