CERF allocates over $750K to assist asylum seekers in Yemen

Yemen, a fragile state and the poorest country in the Middle East, faces a myriad of development challenges, dwindling water and oil reserves, and an enormous migratory burden. Yemen provides prima facie refugee status to Somalis, who have traditionally been the largest group of people arriving on Yemen's shores. Drought and lack of economic opportunities in the Horn of Africa is however driving increasing numbers of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers towards Yemen.

Five thousand Ethiopians are stranded in Yemen as a result of the continuing conflict in north Yemen. IOM and UNHCR have been working closely together to determine the identity of the Ethiopian asylum seekers and their needs. Rapid needs assessments have shown that they are all economic and environmental migrants. A large number of Ethiopians originate from Wollo province and claim that draught, lack of food, and search for employment prompted them to leave their country. The large majority wish to go back to Ethiopia. Only a few women are neither asylum seekers nor do they want to go back to Ethiopia.

CERF funding of nearly $650,000 to International Organization for Migration (IOM) will provide for the immediate humane and dignified voluntary return of 500 stranded Ethiopians to Ethiopia. CERF funding of $107,000 will enable the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to identify and determine the status of Ethiopian asylum seekers, identify Somali refugees, and organize convoys for asylum seekers and refugees.