DJIBOUTI: Implementing the 10- Point Plan of Action

Djibouti has always been a favoured destination for migrants and refugees from countries in the region, notably Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. The migrant population is estimated to represent 20 per cent of the total population of the country. The Djiboutian population shares strong ethnic links (Somali, Afar) with Somaliland, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen, which explains the migratory movements between these countries. Djibouti has been described as an oasis of peace in a stormy desert, in a sub region rife with insecurity: the ongoing threat of a border war between Eritrean and Ethiopia, the continuing battle between supporters of the Government in Somalia and the supporters of the opposition Islamists, and the recent turmoil in Kenya. The economic and political stability in the country has attracted thousands of impoverished people in search of better economic prospects. The situation took a new twist over the past two to three years with the increased use of Djibouti as a transit country by smugglers and traffickers en route to the Arab Gulf States and to Europe. The country’s proximity to more prosperous countries in the Arab Gulf and the hope to continue their journey to more developed western countries has therefore equally worked as a pull factor for migrants.

During the first months of 2008, a large number of migrants and refugees chose the route by boat to Yemen via Djibouti as an alternative to exposure to reckless smugglers in Bossaso, Somalia. Since January 2008, 2,213 new arrivals from South/Central Somalia have been registered by UNHCR, the peak being in February with 1,100 persons (Jan: 251; Mar: 862). A continuous flow of migrants and refugees was regrouping in the no man’s land between Somaliland and Djibouti, trying to cross the border. Smugglers started to roam the “no man’s land”, taking asylum seekers by boat from Zeila (Somaliland) to the North of Djibouti and then on to Eritrea or Yemen. In March, the Government reacted by arresting approximately 200 migrants and refugees mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia each week. They were picked up at the Eritrea border, on the northern shores of Djibouti (Obock and Khor-Angar) or after having been intercepted at sea while trying to cross the straight between Djibouti and Yemen. Those arrested were detained in Obock for weeks, after which 80 who expressed the wish to claim asylum were transferred to Djibouti, the rest were deported.

UNHCR’s activities in Djibouti are aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Eligibility Office and the National Eligibility Commission regarding reception of asylum seekers, provision of adequate information and assistance, refugee status determination, providing protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees in Djibouti and giving technical support to the Government for the drafting of comprehensive refugee legislation that will provide better protection for the populations of concern to UNHCR.

10 POINT PLAN Objectives Achievements Activities Actors Timeframe Constraints 1. Cooperation among key Institutionalize regular contacts A high-level coordination Monthly meetings to share UNHCR, WFP, Already established, Availability of the partners with Government authorities mechanism with monthly information and find ONARS, meetings on a Minister. and decision makers. meetings between UNHCR, solutions to challenges on Minister of the monthly basis. WFP, the Executive security matters, Interior Secretary of ONARS and malnutrition and other the Minister of the Interior humanitarian concerns. has been functioning since April 2008.

Identify and establish contact Contact established with the Hold regular briefing UNHCR, anti- Contact established, Among the US contingent with potential governmental coalition troops – jointly sessions on movements and terrorism follow-up short regular six months’ partners (e.g. American, and individually with the trends. coalition, IGAD term. changes of personnel; German, French troops US and French contingents. difficulties to maintain belonging to the anti-terrorism contacts/ links with coalition forces), who would be rotating personnel. crucial cooperation partners on mixed migration issues with Different programming/ the aim of getting material planning cycles of the support. agencies might be a pose challenges to tap into resources.

Build a network of partners Meeting with Executive Forge partnerships in main IGAD, UNICEF, Short term: Absence of potential working on mixed migration Secretary of IGAD held on areas of arrival and UNFPA, WFP, By end June 2008 partners in many locations issues for regular information 27 April 08 to discuss departure where UNHCR EU Commission, out of the main towns. exchange and data collection Yemen Conference and has no presence to get Caritas, Faulty or non-existent (IGAD, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR’s partnership with information on movements Djiboutian Red communication tools WFP, EU Commission, IGAD. of people. Cross, (telephones, radios or Caritas, Djiboutian Red Cross, UNESCO- others.) UNESCO-PEER, AMDA and Engage IGAD focal points PEER, AMDA, APEF, the later three IPs are for migration/ humanitarian APEF, working in the camp). affairs to provide support IOM for UNHCR’s activities in the sub region.

Without IOM present in Meeting held with IOM Encourage IOM through IGAD, UNICEF, Long term In Djibouti, limited Djibouti – is this feasible? The representation on mission UNHCR’s offices in UNFPA, WFP, presence of international above objective may have to from Ethiopia in late 2007 Ethiopia and for Somalia EU Commission, organizations and suffice for this jurisdiction. on whether to establish based in Nairobi to Caritas, international/ local NGOs. presence in Djibouti. establish presence in Djiboutian Red Djibouti. Cross, Absence of key player, UNESCO- IOM PEER, AMDA, APEF, IOM

Strengthen partnership with Held every two weeks UNRC will assist UNHCR UNRC, UNCT Ongoing Limited resources. UN agencies/ UNCT. consultations within the in lobbying the Establish working group on UNCT for updates on Government to ratify and mixed migration with the refugees, asylum seekers implement international UNCT. and mixed migration refugee/ human rights movements. A weekly instruments. situation report is disseminated.

Strengthen partnership with Hold periodic sub-regional UNHCR Second half of 2008 Limited resources. UNHCR offices and establish and regional meetings with Offices, IOM partnership with agencies in the UNHR offices and Ethiopia, IOM sub region on mixed migration. partners. Nairobi, MMTF Somalia Cross border meetings with UNHCR and partners in Somalia. Hold regular meetings and plan joint activities to be implemented to benefit persons of concern.

Integrate the topic of mixed migration on agenda of coordination meetings with UNHCR offices in the sub region.

Advocate for donor support Sitreps, factsheets statistics Regular briefings, field US Embassy Ongoing No UNHCR staff amongst the Government, inter and other information trips to arrival departure French Coalition dedicated to these efforts. Governmental and private shared with embassies, points as well as to the forces, EU, donors operating in the country consulates, coalition forces refugee camp. IGAD and the Sub-region. as a fund-raising strategy.

2. Data collection Enhance own data collection to ProGres database was set up UNFPA will collaborate UNHCR, Before end 2008. Limited resources. and analysis have reliable updated at the end of 2006, with UNHCR to make sure UNFPA information at hand, which can facilitating the identification refugees are taken into be shared with partners. of groups with special account in the 2008 general Database systems to needs. population census. accommodate and support registration and updates at A verification/ re- Regularly update statistics the same time at different registration exercise of Ali based on accurate locations, e.g. at the Addeh camp was registration entries. border, in town and at the undertaken in 2006/2007 in camp. order to get a clear understanding of the number and profile of the people receiving protection and assistance.

More reliable figures as obtained through the registration operation provide basis for improved protection and search for durable solutions for refugees in Djibouti.

Enhance accurate data Information from Caritas Share know-how on data IPs and Long term Most partners lack reporting and planning from provided from time to time collection and come up potential data capacity to adequately concerned partners. on migrants on the north with reporting plans. collectors collect and manage data shores, desperately in need (different pertaining to refugee of assistance. Ministries, populations. academic institutions)

Maintain regular visits to Regular ONARS missions GoD: allow and facilitate UNHCR, Ongoing Limited access to persons detention places and organize to Loyada to check the access to persons in GoD, ONARS in detention needs follow border monitoring missions on border, informing UNHCR detention for possible up with the Ministry of the a more regular basis in order of new arrivals. referral to organizations. Interior. to detect new refugee arrivals. UNHCR Protection mission to Obock in March 13-15 to better understand the phenomenon of mixed migration flows.

Enhance information Participation in Regular participation in UNHCR HQ and Ongoing Difficulties with internet exchanges with UNHCR teleconferences. teleconferences. in East & Horn access and offices in the region. Regular sharing of updates. of Africa telecommunications. Limited financial resources.

3. Protection- Establish a registration system A high-level coordination Actively search for and UNHCR Long term Need for qualified staff sensitive entry fo r new arrivals including on mechanism with monthly identify a potential partner GOD knowledgeable in systems the north shore of Djibouti meetings between UNHCR, to represent the Office’s regional geopolitics, (Obock), where the majority of WFP, the Executive interests and provide country of origin Ethiopians are detained, and Secretary of ONARS and assistance to persons of information, dialects and support local authorities in the Minister of the Interior concern to the Office at language. their endeavours to provide has been functioning since registration site. Identifying a qualified assistance to them. April 2008. Matters potential partner discussed include UNHCR Undertake regular joint having access to intercepted field missions to Persons intercepted in the migrants at detention departure/ arrival points of Red Sea are held in centres. asylum seekers and deplorable detention migrants. centre in Obock. Undertook a joint field ONARS/local authorities mission to Obock to have no means to observe surveillance points transport them to the being put in place on camp and UNHCR has no northern shores. means to do the profiling. Detainees do not claim On 16-17 March 2008, asylum are most likely to UNHCR/ ONARS be taken to Loyada and undertook a joint mission to deported/ refouled. Tadjourah, Obock, and Khor-Angar to observe surveillance points, main departure points to Yemen and visited 270 detainees in Obock. Screening and registration of over 1,000 South Somali asylum seekers in Ali Addeh refugee camp in April 08, of whom 143 cases were rejected.

Use the existing joint UNHCR/ Ongoing processing of Advocate and lobby the UNHCR, GoD Ongoing No comprehensive legal ONARS registration new arrivals. Government to draft a framework on migrant/ Committee until the setup of comprehensive refugee refugee issues. the national asylum procedure law. For the time being all (EO and NEC). In the longer refugee matters are RSD for many deserving term, put in place a addressed through asylum cases put on hold comprehensive legal Presidential decrees with indefinitely. framework on refugee issues. limited scope.

Strengthen UNHCR’s Police and immigration Train and brief border UNHCR, From June / July Lack of human and relationship with security officials often contact the guards, police and security forces, 2008. material resources. forces/ police/ law enforcement Office when they round up immigration officials on police, law Absence of persons staff involved in regular round migrants and any of them refugee law, asylum and enforcement qualified to do formal ups targeting illegal migrants, claim asylum or show basic human rights. staff training. security measures at check refugee identification cards. points) to improve access to de tainees. Border officials briefed on rights of persons seeking asylum.

Access to detainees disc ussed with Minister of the Interior on 23 April, during a high-level coordination meeting.

Maintain regular visits to Regular ONARS missions GoD: allow and facilitate UNHCR, MoI, Ongoing Limited access to persons detention places and organize to Loyada to check the access to persons in ONARS in detention, needs follow border monitoring missions on border, informing UNHCR detention for possible up with the Ministry of a more regular basis in order of new arrivals. referral to organizations. the Interior. to detect new refugee arrivals.

Setting up a border monitoring Border officials at the main Install an efficient border Ministry of the To become Human and financial mechanism in order to border point (Loyada) were monitoring system. Interior, operational at the resources. guarantee immediate access to sensitized and are now UNHCR and end of 2008. asylum procedures. aware of the different partners treatments that should be offered to asylum seekers/migrants. Lack of adequate 4. Reception Strengthen the Government’s A high-level coordination The GoD is planning to set UNHCR, WFP, Second half of reception facilities and arrangements capacity regarding reception mechanism with monthly up a reception centre and ONARS, 2008. orientation mechanisms and registration services to meetings between UNHCR, put mechanisms in place Minister of the for newly arriving asylum avoid maintaining concerned WFP, Executive Secretary to offer profiling, Interior seekers, leading to populations in situations of of ONARS and the Minister protection and medical accommodation of new vulnerability for extended of the Interior has been screening at Loyada arrivals within the periods. functioning since April border between Djibouti ONARS compound (with 2008. Matters discussed and Somaliland. no proper facilities) at as included the setting up of a an ad-hoc solution. reception centre at the Current resources do not Loyada border to ensure meet the needs of the proper screening and stream of new arrivals. processing of new arrivals.

In February 08, UNHCR assisted the GoD to set up a temporary shelter at the main border, some 3.5 km from Djibouti-City.

Enhance registration and The high-level coordination Strongly encourage the UNHCR, GoD By the end of 2008 Financial and material screening at Loyada (DJI/ mechanism with UNHCR, establishment of reception Partners resources. SOM border), where WFP, the Executive Centre at the main border. Eg. AMDA authorities are overwhelmed Secretary of ONARS and by the stream of new arrivals, the Minister of the Interior’s GoD: establish permanent to avoid backlog of profiling / functioning since April presence of ONARS at the screening and registration. 2008. Matters discussed border and organize included the setting up of a coordinated transfer reception centre at the process towards the camp. border to ensure proper screening and processing of Strengthening of the new arrivals. reception and orientation mechanisms for newly arriving asylum seekers/ refugees through strengthening the existing joint UNHCR/GoD Committee.

Establishment of UNHCR Ad-hoc monitoring Ongoing efforts must be UNHCR, Long term Ethiopian Ogadenis are presence in Obock. mission to Obock in March pursued with the GoD to Ministry of the currently not recognized as 08 to verify information on come up with a strategy Interior local refugees, which leads to major influx of migrants/ regarding the official authorities them misrepresenting refugees departing from treatment of populations themselves as Somalis the northern shores of coming from Region 5 of from South/Central Djibouti to Yemen. Ethiopia (Ogaden). Somalia – to obtain prima facie refugee status.

Setting up a border monitoring Border officials at the main Strongly encourage the UNHCR To become Lack of human and mechanism in order to border point (Loyada) were establishment of reception operational at the financial resources. guarantee immediate access to sensitized and are now facility at the main border. end of 2008. asylum procedures. aware of the treatment that should be offered to asylum Install an efficient border seekers. monitoring system.

Use the existing joint UNHCR/ Ongoing processing of Advocate and lobby the UNHCR, Ongoing No comprehensive legal ONARS registration and new arrivals. Government to draft a ONARS framework on migrant/ screening system until the comprehensive refugee refugee issues. setup of the national asylum law. For the time being all procedure (EO and NEC). In refugee matters are RSD for many deserving the longer term, put in place a addressed through asylum cases put on hold comprehensive legal Presidential decrees with indefinitely. framework on refugee issues. limited scope.

Strengthen protection against Counseling provided by Systematic medical ONARS, By end 2008. Refugees and asylum violence, abuse, intimidation, UNHCR’s local screening of new arrivals. APEF, AMDA, seekers have unhindered and exploiting, including community services IP Regular counseling by and UNHCR access to report grievances SGBV. APEF and international IP trained/ qualified medical and to seek redress. AMDA. staff.

5. Mechanisms for profiling and Set up systematic profiling and Ongoing processing of new New arrivals are registered ONARS, APEF By end 2008 Indentification of durable referral referral of new arrivals arrivals at the border, at ONARS & and UNHCR solutions not focused & at the camp. Profiling is ad done on an ad hoc basis hoc.

6. Differentiated Strengthen the asylum UNHCR financed four UNDP and UNHCR will UNHCR, Long term The Eligibility Office has processes and institutions and mechanisms in additional posts for the coordinate activities UNDP, GoD been receiving asylum procedures Djibouti, as the eligibility Eligibility Office starting in designed to build the (NEC, EO) seekers but it is not yet mechanisms are not fully January 08, but that Office capacity of ONARS. fully functional. functional yet. is not yet adjudicating cases The members of the (task of the National GoD: adopt a new decree National Eligibility Eligibility Commission). or law on the designation of Commission have not been members of the National appointed yet. Secretary General of Eligibility Commission Absence of sufficient ONARS attended the San (NEC). competent eligibility staff Remo Refugee Law Course Members of the NEC at ONARS leads to (07 -11 April 2008) to build appointed/ selected by the postponement of RSD up his capacity on GoD and trained on indefinitely. international protection adjudication of asylum issues. claims. Absence of a mechanism Additional and competent for appeals. national eligibility staff (EO) recruited through a competitive and transparent selection procedure. Capacity of EO staff strengthened on how to efficiently conduct RSD. Put system for appeals in place.

Ca pacity-building of ONARS Regular sessions of the joint Formalize the setup and UNHCR, Long term Absence of a legal and NEC staff to carry out UNHCR/ ONARS functioning of the NEC and ONARS, b order framework for RSD and individual RSD. registration/ profiling team. the Office of the Eligibility guards, related responsibilities. Commission. immigration Capacity building of staff from officers Limited resources. the judicial system to provide Border guards and legal assistance. immigration officers trai ned on refugee law and international refugee protection.

Strengthening the legal Attestations are given to all Replace all Attestations UNHCR and Shortage of financial, protection of people of concern recognized refugees (prima with proper identification Government human and material to UNHCR, more specifically facie and those under cards. resources. by facilitating their access to UNHCR’s mandate). adequate identification Conduct RSD for all documentation, so that all refugees and asylum Waiting for ordered refugees 13 years and older seekers on hold for years. refugee identification have refugee ID cards. Promote resettlement for documentation (ID, cards). identified cases.

SOPs developed for the issuance of ID cards and birth certificates. SOPs developed for the continuous updating of the registration database.

7. Solutions for Reinforce the search for A high-level coordination Resettlement will be UNHCR, GoD Durable solutions found refugees durable solutions, especially mechanism with monthly offered to Ethiopian, mainly through voluntary resettlement opportunities and meetings between UNHCR, Eritrean, and South/Central repatriation. Identified prospects for local integration. WFP, Executive Secretary Somali refugees as a resettlement cases were of ONARS and the Minister durable solution, a not referred due to staff of the Interior functioning protection tool and as a shortages and lack of since April 2008. Matters burden/ responsibility technical and material discussed include durable sharing mechanism. support. solutions for refugees. In 2008 and 2009, Repatriation of 1,853 emphasis will be put on the Somaliland refugees to NW promotion of repatriation Somalia in late 2007. for remaining Somaliland refugees in Djibouti.

Development of local Implementation of the self- integration strategy for reliance strategy for Ali residual Somali and Addeh based refugees. Ethiopian caseloads.

8. Addressing Get a clear picture of migratory None. Compare ProGres data with UNHCR offices Lack of comprehensive secondary trends and be able to predict UNHCR offices in other in the Sub region data collection. movements developments through constant countries using ProGres, - sharing of data and information cases of secondary exchanges. movement.

9. Return Return is arranged properly and None. Provide rejection UNHCR and By end 2008 Lack of IOM presence to arrangements for in dignity with the persons documentation and inform Government advise and counsel on non-refugees and involved being fully aware. rejected applicants voluntary return. alternative systematically. migration options

10. Information strategy Introduce the topic of mixed ONARS and several of the Communicate the 10PP to UNHCR By end 2008 Limited interest of migration to the government officials in coastal areas are the GoD at different levels Government officials in counterpart (ONARS and MoI) aware of the phenomenon. and to other key partners. new UN initiatives - more and the national asylum interested in the activities institutions (Eligibility Office, Workshop on Mixed that would provide EO, and National Eligibility Migration/ debriefing on financial, human and Commission, NEC). discussions held at the material support to their Yemen Conference. endeavours.

Sensitization and information Provide material and Limited human and sharing on the phenomenon of financial support for material resources of the mixed migration. transportation and Government to respect/ dissemination of live up to their information to dissuade commitments under would-be migrants from international law. taking the treacherous boat crossing to Yemen.

Ssensitize and lobby the Met with and gave Provide updates on the UNHCR, EU By end 2008 Perhaps seen as a long delegation of the EU information on the trends to trends of movements. Commission, term perspective by the Commission for Frontex- EU officials in Djibouti. Present the needs and the (Frontex) key players. related activities/ projects gaps in the Office’s current (similar as to what was done resources. e.g. in Senegal and Libya).

Public and targeted information None. Adapt radio spots used for UNHCR (DJI, Free access to the media campaigns in Djibouti: awareness-raising ETH, SOM) to disseminate such awareness-raising among campaigns in Somalia and information. Financial migrants and asylum seekers Ethiopia to the situation/ and human resources. on the dangers of crossing the target groups in Djibouti. Gulf by airing of radio spots