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Tens of Thousands of African Migrants Arrived in Yemen in 2023

Forty-three thousand African migrants are stranded in Yemen in miserable conditions. (United Nations)
Forty-three thousand African migrants are stranded in Yemen in miserable conditions. (United Nations)
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Tens of Thousands of African Migrants Arrived in Yemen in 2023

Forty-three thousand African migrants are stranded in Yemen in miserable conditions. (United Nations)
Forty-three thousand African migrants are stranded in Yemen in miserable conditions. (United Nations)

Recent UN data has shown a spike in African migrants arriving in Yemen. Around 200,000 who have arrived in the war-torn country with the aim of illegally entering Gulf countries in search of jobs.

Roughly half arrived during the first seven months of this year.

IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) confirmed the continued flow of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa to the shores of Yemen, while the number of those who returned to their country did not exceed 5,000 in 2023.

Out of the 200,000 migrants, approximately 43,000 migrants are stranded across the country.  

Since early 2022, IOM has supported more than 5,700 stranded migrants and victims of trafficking to safely return to their home countries from Yemen. Approximately 300,000 vulnerable migrants have also benefited from humanitarian assistance in Yemen, Somalia, and Djibouti.

So far in 2023, the IOM has assisted 5,631 migrants, including 5,572 Ethiopians, to return home.

The IOM is now appealing for $58.5 million through the Migrant Response Plan (MRP) for the Horn of Africa and Yemen to continue this vital support in the region.

Yemen, a country already ravaged by years of war caused by the Iran-backed Houthi militias, continues to face the harsh reality of displacement.

The first half of 2023 has seen a decrease in the number of people displaced from their homes in Yemen. The DTM recorded more than 21,066 people were forced to flee their homes, seeking safety and shelter elsewhere in the first six months of the year.

This is a half decrease from the same period in 2022 when 42,012 displacements were reported.

The governorate with the highest number of displacements in the first half of 2023 was Marib, with 1,455 households (HHs), followed by Taiz (572 HHs), Hodeidah (416 HHs), Shabwah (409 HHs) and Lahj (341 HHs). The governorates with the lowest number of displacements are Abyan, Dhale, Hadramawt, and al-Mahra.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak met with IOM Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa Othman Belbeisi in the interim capital Aden.

They discussed cooperation between Yemen and the IOM as well as the impact of the increased number of illegal migrants on Yemen’s security and economy. They also discussed the Organizations’ programs in the country.

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Arab World

Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.