Regional Meeting in Djibouti To Tackle Challenges of Mixed Migration Flows in the Horn of Africa
DJIBOUTI, Djibouti, November 30, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Press Briefing Notes
A two-day meeting between high-level government officials from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen organized by IOM will focus on tackling the many challenges posed by mixed migration flows in the Horn of Africa.
The meeting, on 1st and 2nd December in Djibouti will also look at ways of improving cross-border cooperation between the four countries through better information sharing.
Every year, tens of thousands of people make the hazardous journey from their place of origin through Somalia and Djibouti and onwards across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen and the Gulf states. These complex and extremely dynamic population movements include asylum-seekers, irregular migrants, victims of trafficking and unaccompanied minors, involving men and women, girls and boys.
These individuals, driven by political unrest and/or extreme poverty face numerous abuses along the way. Host countries and host communities face particular challenges in responding to these significant irregular flows of migrants since those involved often require special and individualized assistance.
Because of its complexity, its dynamic nature and its increasing importance, various humanitarian organizations including IOM and UNHCR have joined together to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated humanitarian response to the needs of the migrants and asylum-seekers transiting through Somalia and Djibouti to Yemen and further.
The meeting, part of a Japanese-Swiss-US funded IOM programme on providing greater protection for migrants en route to Yemen, is not only aimed at improving the understanding on mixed migration as a growing trend among participant countries, but also at ensuring greater respect of the human rights of migrants when applying national and regional immigration laws.
SOURCE
International Office of Migration (IOM)
