EU-IOM Joint Initiative

for Migrant Protection and Reintegration

COVID-19 has heightened the risk for migrants, with many embarking on dangerous return journeys from Yemen to the East and Horn of Africa.

All 52 deaths and disappearances recorded in the region in 2020 involved migrants returning to the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. They had been stranded in Yemen unable to proceed onward to Saudi Arabia. Drowning was the most common cause of death (40), followed by dehydration (11).

These are some of the findings by the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Regional Data Hub for East and the Horn of Africa, presented  at a regional conference hosted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and co-funded by the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in the Horn of Africa.

There are three main migratory routes from the Horn of Africa: The Eastern Route to the Arabian Peninsula, and in particular Saudi Arabia; the Northern Route through Sudan towards northern Africa and Europe; and the Southern Route towards the southern part of the continent, in particular South Africa.

It is the Eastern Route to the Middle East that accounts for the largest number of irregular movements each year (63% of movements tracked in 2019). The vast majority of the migrants who use this route are Ethiopian. In comparison to the Northern and Southern Routes, the Eastern Route is also shorter and significantly cheaper.

The Eastern Corridor is split into two major departure hubs, one via Bossaso, Puntland and one via Obock in Djibouti. In 2019, Bossaso was the main area of departure (62%) to Yemen, followed by Obock (38%). Saudi Arabia was the main intended final destination of most migrants tracked in 2019 (88%).

 All countries in the region had either closed their airports and land borders or implemented restrictions to and from countries with high numbers of COVID-19 positive cases by the end of March. Restrictions on mobility began to ease again by August. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the migration dynamics in the region, 2020 was not a year of immobility.

Over 445,005 movements were observed in the region in 2020 (40% fewer than in 2019), 157,702 of which were observed along the Eastern route (66% reduction).

Movement restrictions also resulted in an increase in stranded migrant populations that were unable to continue their journeys or return to their home countries. Stranded migrants face a wide range of challenges, including reduced access to services and work opportunities in host communities. By late September IOM estimated that at least 3,000 migrants were stranded in the region, with a further 14,500 migrants from the region being stranded in Yemen.

Most significantly, the pandemic has resulted in an increase in the use of more risky smuggling services and new migration routes in the region. As migrants continued to be stuck in Yemen, the region witnessed a surge of spontaneous returns from Yemen to Djibouti and Somalia in the second half of 2020.

A total of 6,787 migrants returned from Yemen to Djibouti (5,902) and Somalia (885). Return journeys are very dangerous for migrants, with several incidents of migrants being forced to disembark in offshore areas or having to cross long stretches of desert on foot with little or no water.

“This return journey is arguably even more perilous for migrants who are already in precarious conditions, often as a result of prolonged detention or abuse in Yemen,” said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM’s Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa.

The forced return of Ethiopian and Yemeni migrants from Saudi Arabia were also slowed or halted during the last three quarters of 2020. A total of 36,632 migrants were returned to Ethiopia, representing a 70% decrease compared to 2019 when 120,825 returnees were registered at the airport in Addis Ababa. A total of 93% of returnees reportedly returned involuntarily. A further 13,895 migrants were returned from Saudi Arabia to Yemen, representing a 72% decrease compared to 2019 when 50,065 returnees were recorded.

During the conference, Prof Laura Hammond from SOAS University in London praised the IGAD region for its policies aimed at managing migration, noting that until the onset of the pandemic significant progress was made towards greater inclusion of displaced populations and displacement affected areas in national response plans. “COVID-19 stopped this and there is need to bring this movement back on track,” she said.

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.

The Regional Data Hub for East and Horn of Africa was established in early 2018 and is largely funded through the EU-IOM Joint Initiative. More information about RDH can be found here: https://ronairobi.iom.int/regional-data-hub-rdh

For more information please contact the IOM Regional Office in Nairobi: Julia Hartlieb, Email: jhartlieb@iom.int; Laura Nistri, Email: lnistri@iom.int or Wilson Johwa, Email: wjohwa@iom.int