Djibouti City – The new Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy E. Pope has visited Djibouti, her last stop in a four-nation inaugural trip as the organization’s new head. She also visited Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. 

During the visit, DG Pope met with the country’s President, Ismail Omar Guelleh, Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Interior Minister Said Nouh Hassan, and other senior government officials. She also met with the UN Resident Coordinator, José Barahona, UN agency chiefs, diplomats and donors. 

Among several topics, Ms. Pope discussed the challenges posed by irregular migration in the country, and IOM’s work to support the Government of Djibouti to respond to the needs of migrants and host communities. 

In 2022, around 223,000 migratory movements were observed at key transit points in Djibouti, mostly with migrants moving to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The majority of them move irregularly from neighboring countries with the aim of reaching the Arabian Peninsula. When they reach their destination, many migrants believe they will find job opportunities. Yet thousands similarly return to Djibouti from Yemen, attempting to make the journey again to work, and or to go home. 

DG Pope reiterated IOM’s commitment to work with the government to provide lifesaving support and assistance to vulnerable migrants and host communities and strengthen national migration policies. 

IOM Djibouti is currently working with national authorities to provide comprehensive healthcare services to migrants in the country. IOM operates a Migration Response Center in the Obock region located in the North of Djibouti, a Transit Center in the Tadjourah region (north region), and Djibouti City and is planning to expand its capacity opening offices in the Southern regions. 

"This visit helps us consolidate the collaboration with our partners and also highlight the emergency-like context of the Eastern route, the mortalities rates among the highest in the world, and the impact on infrastructure, health services, public health and communities. Djibouti's context is not very well known, and this visit helps provide more visibility and sensitize to the need for additional support for migration governance", said Tanja Pacifico, IOM Djibouti Chief of Mission. 

"We thank the Director General of the IOM for her visit, and we were able to exchange views on the opportunities and solutions we are considering to properly manage migration. So that migrants don't suffer, and to reduce the pressure and impact of migration on the local community” said the Minister of Interior H.E. Said Nouh Hassan 

DG Pope also discussed with officials the increasing impact of climate change and its impact on migration in the country, severe drought and also torrential rains continue to force to people to move. 

“The coordinated efforts to enhance migration governance and foster safe, orderly and regular migration in Djibouti are commendable,” DG Pope said. “When we work together, it is possible to find concrete actions that lead to long-term solutions for people on the move and host communities. We praise this commitment and reaffirm our support to assist vulnerable migrants in the country, with dignified return, and reintegration of migrants.” 

For more information please contact:

Kaousar Saad, communications focal point, IOM Djibouti - ksaad@iom.int

Daniela Rovina, communications consultant, IOM Djibouti - drovina@iom.int