EU-IOM Joint Initiative

for Migrant Protection and Reintegration

Forty-nine children were among 150 Sudanese migrants assisted to voluntarily return from Egypt on 5 November.

Since the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent travel restrictions, many migrants have found themselves stranded in transit, unable to proceed with their journeys or to return to their communities of origin.  

Egypt is a country of transit for migrants from a range of African countries, mostly in West Africa, whose ultimate goal is to get to Libya and Europe. Sudanese citizens make up significant numbers, with an estimated 3,8m nationals living in Egypt.

The charter flight from Cairo was organised in close coordination with the Sudanese embassy in Egypt and the Secretariat for Sudanese Working Abroad (SSWA). It was supported by the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration.

Apart from the minors, also on board were migrants and others requiring medical attention. Many of those on the flight had been in Egypt long before the COVID-19 restrictions, although the worsening economic situation and the resultant loss of jobs for many people may have prompted their return.

IOM has found that migrants are disproportionately at risk of experiencing stigma, xenophobia and being blamed for COVID-19. They often do not have access to national public health services and may not feature in government response plans.

“I stayed around five years in Egypt, jumping around from job to job. My situation didn’t get any better. I decided to return to Sudan to find security, stability, work and to feel at home, said Abubaker Salih, 33.

Twenty-one-year-old Sadia Abdelafie said: “I was working in a hair salon for two years, but still, I didn't have the comfort and security needed for my family. I came back with my two daughters and mother to feel at home again. I plan to open a salon to help re-establish my life in Sudan."

Upon arrival, returnees were received by IOM staff. They were provided with SIM cards to ensure they are reachable for further assistance, in addition to being supported with the rest of the journey to their communities of origin.

In the days preceding the flight, IOM assisted the migrants to prepare for their return. Orientation sessions were arranged for them. They were also provided with a travel allowance and information on the available assistance to support their reintegration in Sudan.

"COVID-19 has exacerbated the situation for many migrants that have already been living in challenging situations, and with the measures imposed to curb movement during the pandemic, many migrants have been stuck en-route” said Alia Hijri, the coordinator of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative in Sudan.

She added: “Our voluntary return programme provides a safe pathway to migrants facing dire conditions and ensures that those in need are assisted to return home voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.”

Under the EU-IOM Joint initiative returning migrants in Sudan are signed up for National Health Insurance and those eligible are provided with sustainable reintegration assistance to further aid them in restarting their lives. This includes being assisted to set up a micro- enterprise or to enroll for vocational training, while the programme also covers the cost for children returning to school. Returnees requiring further medical or psychosocial assistance are referred to the relevant facilities for specialised assistance.

Since June 2017, IOM has assisted the voluntary return of more than 2,800 stranded Sudanese migrants via chartered and commercial flights.

About the EU-IOM Joint Initiative

Launched in December 2016 and funded by the European Union (EU) Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, the programme brings together 26 African countries of the Sahel and Lake Chad region, the Horn of Africa, and North Africa, the EU and IOM around the goal of ensuring that migration is safer, more informed and better governed for both migrants and their communities.

For more information please contact Lisa George at IOM Sudan, email: IOMSudanmedia@iom.int, or the IOM Regional Office in Nairobi: Julia Hartlieb, email: jhartlieb@iom.int and Wilson Johwa, email: wjohwa@iom.int