Yemen is a key transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with over 138,000 migrants arriving in the country in 2019. In partnership with the Federal Republic of Germany, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) plans to assist over 41,000 vulnerable migrants and refugees under a new project, which began this year and will continue until December 2021.

IOM and the Federal Republic of Germany have been partnering to support vulnerable migrants and refugees in Yemen for nearly four years. Migrants face many dangers while travelling through the Horn of Africa and Yemen, including drowning, kidnapping, exploitation and abuse at the hands of traffickers and smugglers. The COVID-19 outbreak has also led to greater risks for migrants on this route, as they have extremely limited access to clean water and health care.

While COVID-19 related movement restrictions have led to an over 90 per cent reduction in migrant arrivals, there are an estimated 14,500 migrants stranded in Yemen in dire conditions and currently unable to return home.

“This generous contribution from Germany means that we will be able to support thousands of extremely vulnerable migrants with emergency assistance, including health care, which is even more essential during the current outbreak,” said Christa Rottensteiner, IOM Yemen Chief of Mission.

Under this Germany-IOM project, the Organization will continue to provide critical assistance along migratory routes on Yemen’s southern coastline and in Marib governorate. This much needed assistance will include food, water, health care, and essential items like clothing and personal hygiene items, and will be provided through IOM Migrant Response Points and Mobile Teams. Those in need of further assistance, such as temporary shelter and additional health services, will also be supported.

An estimated 200 migrants will receive temporary shelter support, 35,832 migrants will receive emergency health services and 1,000 migrants who need secondary level health care will be referred for support, with IOM covering associated medical costs.

Through contributions from the Federal Republic of Germany, around 1,000 migrants and refugees will also have the option of participating in IOM’s assisted and voluntary humanitarian return programmes, which facilitate return to their countries of origin.

Lastly, this project will contribute to improving regional analyses on migration flows and routes, as well as migrants’ profiles and protection needs, to inform migrant response activities. Contributions from the Government of Germany will allow primary data collection and analyses to continue across Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia, in coordination with the IOM Regional Offices for the East and Horn of Africa, and for North Africa and the Arab Peninsula. Thanks to the generous support of the Federal Republic of Germany in previous years, IOM has already established a network of migrant Flow Monitoring points throughout Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia and Ethiopia, where data is being collected.

For more information, please contact IOM Yemen:

• Arabic: Mennatallah Homaid, Tel: +967739888755, Email: mhomaid@iom.int  

• English: Olivia Headon, Tel: +251926379755, Email: oheadon@iom.int