covering mixed migration events, trends and data for Djibouti, Eritrea/Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Puntland, Somalia, Somaliland and Yemen.
Djibouti
New Arrivals: According to the data compiled by the UNHCR and partners during the month of September 2012, an estimated 8,382 people arrived on Yemen’s shores, with the largest movement of 5,530 people moving from Djibouti, representing 66% of the total arrivals.
The total arrivals in September 2012 are almost the same as those arriving in August 2012, but are 31% less than the total number of new arrivals in September 2011. In terms of those crossing the Red Sea from Djibouti, in September 2011 the numbers are 28% lower than the same month last year.
The major departure points of the migrants from Djibouti, was from Obock and different coastal departure points 30-40 km north of Obock. There were Approximately 185 people crossing out of Obock per day in September, representing a 6% decrease of the total percentage of (daily) new arrivals from last month.
To transport the above migrants, 95 smuggler boats were recorded as having landed on the Red Sea Coast of Yemen which is slightly higher than the previous month which recorded 92 boats.
Assistance to migrants: The government of Djibouti has recently stepped up efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants, including health support and voluntary return assistance. So far this year, Djibouti coastguards have rescued 2,049 migrants in distress at sea, compared to 2,622 in 2011 Smuggling: Some Somali new arrivals in September reported that they engaged the services of a smuggling network based in Mogadishu. They paid between $350- $400 to travel from Mogadishu via Djibouti to the Red Sea coast of Yemen. It was reported that a new smuggling ring seems to have cropped up in Harar, an Eastern city of Ethiopia. The syndicate appears less organized due to the piecemeal payment to each broker at each travel point. Ethiopians using this route paid approximately 290 USD for the journey to Yemen. Journeying to Jijiga through to Wajalle and Borama before proceeding to Loya Ade from where they are smuggled to port Obock.
As previously reported, Somali new arrivals continued to report that with the tightening of controls against smugglers on the roads of Djibouti, smugglers transport migrants from Djibouti-ville to Obock by small boats after they cross the Loya Ade border. From Obock, they board larger boats bound for Yemen. Many Somali new arrivals stated that they told the smugglers that they were Ethiopians because Ethiopians normally travel on to Saudi Arabia and are given preference. New arrivals reported that they paid smugglers $ 130 - $150 for the boat crossing from Obock to Yemen‟s Red Sea coast.
2nd Regional Committee on Mixed Migration: The Regional Committee on Mixed Migration for the Horn of Africa and Yemen held its second meeting in Djibouti on 23- 24 September 2012. The meeting follows an earlier event held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in December 2011 which included member government delegations from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somaliland, Puntland and Yemen. Egypt, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia were also invited as observer States. Representatives from the international and donor community included IGAD, the AU, UNHCR, IOM and DRC. The meeting aimed to improve collaboration between governments in the Horn of Africa and Yemen, and their international partners and to improve the condition of migrants, save lives and effectively manage migration in the region. Participants reviewed progress on 2011 recommendations relating to rescue at sea, smuggling and trafficking, and the role of Migration Response Centers (MRCs) operating in the region. The meeting also assessed the situation of migrant health and examined ways to extend medical services to migrants.
Arrest and Deportation: Few Somalis reported that while in Djibouti, they were arrested, detained and ill-treated, after they were suspected of being linked to the Al-Shabaab group.
