MMC East Africa & Yemen JULY 2018 Monthly Trends Analysis 1 The following trends analysis is put together on the basis of available secondary data at the time of publication. It is representative of the available information and therefore indicative of mixed migratory trends in East Africa & Yemen. Previously known as the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS), the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) is a leading source for independent and high quality data, information, research and analysis on mixed migration. The MMC was established in February 2018. It brings together various existing regional initiatives – hosted or led by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) – engaged in data collection, research, analysis and policy development on mixed migration issues into a new global network of mixed migration expertise.1 The Mixed Migration Centre - East Africa & Yemen, provides quality mixed migration-related information for policy, programming and advocacy from a regional perspective. Our core countries of focus are Yemen, Eritrea, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia. For more information visit: mixedmigration.org 1 This includes RMMS Middle East, RMMS West Africa, the Mixed Migration Platform (MMP) in the Middle East, the Global Mixed Migration Secretariat (GMMS) in Geneva and different programmes of the Mixed Migration Monitoring Mechanism Initiative (4Mi). Cover photo: A woman walks with her child on her back through an IDP camp near the Somali town of Dollow on 26 March 2017. DRC Photo / Tobin Jones SUPPORTED BY: MIXED MIGRATION IN EAST AFRICA & YEMEN Displacement Snapshot1 In need of Internally displaced people Refugees and asylum humanitarian Country (IDP) seekers assistance / food aid Djibouti 27,431 - - Ethiopia 928,663 1.1m 7.88m Eritrea 2, 258 (Somali & - - other nationalities) Kenya 471,330 - - Somalia 31,473 2.6m 5.4m South Sudan 298,037 1.84m 7m Sudan 919,684 - 5.5m Yemen 279,264 2m 22.2m Uganda 1,470,981 - 2.3m Democratic Republic of Congo2 538,667 4.5m 13.1m 1 The sources of data for this map are as follows: OCHA, IOM, UNHCR, Government sources 2 Democratic Republic of Congo is a new country of coverage for the Danish Refugee Council’s Regional Office Monthly Trends Analysis 3 Flows within the Horn of Africa and Yemen1 1 Source of data for this map is IOM and UNHCR Monthly Trends Analysis 4 MIXED MIGRATION IN EAST AFRICA & YEMEN Djibouti Population Djibouti-China relations: On 5th July, Djibouti opened the 971,759 first phase of its International Free Trade Zone finance by the Chinese government. This Free Trade Zone will enable users to operate without paying income, property or value-added taxes, hence positioning the country as a strategic trade hub in the region. It is estimated that this project cost US$ 3.5 billion and will be jointly run by Djibouti’s Ports and Free Zones Authority and China’s Merchants Holdings Company. The Zone is said to consist of four main industrial clusters: export processing, trade and logistics, manufacturing and duty-free merchandise retail, and business and financial support services. Refugees and Asylum Regional Politics: Following the recent talks between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the restored peace deal between seekers the two countries, the United Nations proposed to lift 27,431 total refugees and asylum seekers sanctions on Eritrea. While this move was welcomed by in Djibouti (according to UNHCR July various regional allies, including the Somali Federal 2018). These include refugees and Government, Djibouti authorities were instead alarmed. asylum seekers from Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea and Prior to the Ethiopia-Eritrea talks, Djibouti remained the Ethiopia. main port of import and export for Ethiopia which is landlocked. However, critics argue that the rekindling of Male: 51% | Female: 49% the Eritrea-Ethiopia relationship will leave Djibouti ‘out in the cold’ as Ethiopia could potentially shift their import Main countries of origin (July 2018) and export business through Eritrea’s ports. Given the heavy investment in Djibouti’s infrastructure by the 12,166 Somalia | 10,078 Ethiopia Chinese government, Mohamed Siad Doualeh, Djibouti’s 4,290 Yemen |834 Eritrea Ambassador to the UN wrote an open letter to the UN 63 Others Security Council stating that Eritrea was still occupying Djibouti’s territory and that there is threat of force from the Eritrean counterparts. Further to this, a 2017 UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group report showed that Where are they? Eritrea was still supporting the Front for Restoration of All Addeh – 15,010 Unity and Democracy, an armed group that seeks to Djibouti – 4,851 destabilize Djibouti. Holl Holl – 5,535 Obock – 2,035 Policy dialogue: On 17th July, a meeting was held in Ethiopia to discuss the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration and Action Plan on Refugee Education in the IGAD region adopted in December 2017. During this meeting, a joint operational plan/roadmap for the implementation of this action plan was discussed as well as relevant monitoring and evaluation tools. This meeting was attended by various stakeholders including the EU, IGAD representatives, UNESCO, UNHCR among others. Monthly Trends Analysis 5 Ethiopia Population Humanitarian Situation: According to FEWSNET, food insecurity is still high in the country but is expected to 107,598,395 slightly improve later on in the year following the rainy season that ends in September. Further exacerbating the food availability and access issue is the ongoing conflict in some regions of Ethiopia that have led to massive displacements of households. As a result of this crisis, aid agencies have made an urgent appeal to donors calling for critical and urgent assistance to displaced communities. The agencies have also called Refugees and Asylum seekers upon the Government of Ethiopia to continue encouraging peace and reconciliation efforts towards in-country and in the region the ongoing conflict so as to prevent a further deterioration in the country’s humanitarian situation. 928, 663 registered refugees in Ethiopia. These are mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Yemen (UNHCR July Internal displacement: According to UNOCHA, Gedeo 2018). Of these, 59% (app. 547,911) are below the age of 18. In and West Guji zones in Ethiopia are currently facing an 2018 alone however, there were 34,509 new arrivals with 5,298 IDP crisis. In Gedeo Zone, IOM approximates that over having arrived in June and July alone. Majority of the new 822,000 people have been internally displaced since arrivals in 2018 have settled in Gambella (50.8%) and Shire June and an additional 147,000 in West Guji. To this (34.5%). The remaining 14.7% have settled in Assosa, Afar, Addis end, the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the SNNP and Melkadida. and Oromia regional authorities are working together to find a solution to the internal displacement situation whereby traditional leaders from both zones have Main countries of origin convened several peace and reconciliation conferences. The aim of these conferences, initially launched in late July 2018, was to discuss voluntary 446, 711 South Sudan return of IDPs to their places of origin. IDPs in Ethiopia 256, 929 Somalia are currently fully reliant on humanitarian assistance 172,798 Eritrea from aid agencies on the ground. 44, 414 Sudan 1,872 Yemen Political relations with Eritrea: Following the recent 5,939 ‘Others’ st renewed talks and friendship with Eritrea, Ethiopia (31 July 2018) opened its first commercial passenger flight to Asmara, Eritrea in July 2018 courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines. Male 49.8% | Female 50.2% Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh received the passengers in Asmara stating that this was the first step to reform between the two countries. Similarly, direct Where are they? telephone connections were restored after two Gambela – 426,550 decades. Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, visited Melkadida- 218,929 Eritrea in July and held meetings with Eritrea’s Assosa- 61,790 President Isaias Afwerki where Prime Minister Abiy said Jijiga- 36,916 that the country would start using the port of Eritrea, a Shire- 42,944 move that was welcomed by the Eritrean counterparts. Afar- 38,943 Since taking office, reports indicate that PM Abiy has Addis Ababa- 22,802 undertaken various reforms in the country including releasing opposition figures and journalists who had SSNP- 2,787 been previously detained/imprisoned and opening up Borena- 3,924 the economy to foreign investments. Monthly Trends Analysis 6 MIXED MIGRATION IN EAST AFRICA & YEMEN Eritrea Population Political relations with Ethiopia & Somalia: In early July 2018, Eritrea reopened its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This ceremony was officiated by both Prime Minister Abiy and * 3,600,000 (2015 Eritrean President Afwerki. Similarly, Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi visited Eritrea for the first time in 15 years in July government estimate) 2018. This visit was cited to be part of Somalia’s willingness and * 5,069,000 (2017 UN estimate) readiness to restart relations with Eritrea. According to Eritrea’s Information Ministry, economic and security issues were top on the agenda of this meeting as well as other regional issues of interest to both countries. Refugees & Asylum seekers Migrants in Libya: UNHCR reports that there are 499 Eritrean in the region refugees and 6,084 Eritrean asylum seekers in Libya by the end of July 2018. Eritreans constitute the second highest group of There are approximately 14,592 Eritrean refugees and refugees and asylum seekers in Libya from the Horn of Africa asylum seekers in Uganda by end of July 2018, 90 in after Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers. UNHCR reports Somalia, 1,460 in Kenya and 172,798 in Ethiopia. In-country that there were 1,409 Eritreans intercepted at sea by the Libyan however, there are approximately 2,153 Somali refugees Coast Guard in 2018 so far.