Regional Migrant Response Plan for the Horn of Africa and Yemen

“The ‘Eastern Route’ is one of the busiest, most complex, and dangerous migration routes in the world.” 

The Regional Migrant Response Plan (MRP) for the Horn of Africa and Yemen (2021-2024) is a strategy that aims to address the protection needs of vulnerable migrants from the Horn of Africa, specifically Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia, who are moving to and from Yemen along the "Eastern Route". The MRP focuses on providing a coordinated effort to establish a more efficient response to humanitarian and protection needs and contribute to community stabilization. It promotes comprehensive, timely, and inclusive responses throughout the Eastern Route. The framework ensures effective coordination, capacity enhancement, analysis, and resource mobilization to address the regional dimensions of migration linking the Horn of Africa and Yemen. 

 Strategic Objectives

1. Provide life-saving assistance to vulnerable migrants and host communities 
2. Provide quality, timely and inclusive protection assistance and services to migrants and host communities 
3. Strengthen access to return, sustainable reintegration, and community stabilization. 
4. Building evidence, partnerships and coordination to enhance the humanitarian response and migration management throughout the migration route.

The Regional Migrant Response Plan (MRP) : Addressing the Needs of Migrants from the Horn of Africa

READ THE STORY: Son Rescues Injured Father and Escorts Him Home from Yemen to Ethiopia

MRP 2022 PHOTOBOOK: A Migrant's Journey

MRP 2023 PHOTOBOOK: A Mile in My Shoes

MRP 2023 Strategy

The MRP is a four-year strategy with annual appeals launched every year. The MRP 2023 Strategy was launched in February 2023 in Nairobi Kenya. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and 47 other partners appealed for USD 84 million to provide humanitarian and development assistance to over 1 million migrants and the communities hosting them, many of whom are vulnerable, and in need of urgent help along the Eastern Route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen.  

The appeal aimed to address the dire humanitarian needs as well as protection risks and vulnerabilities that migrants in the region face and scale up the delivery of lifesaving and resilience-building initiatives as well as pursue the implementation of long-term sustainable solutions for migrants and host communities.  

In May 2023, as a response to the underfunded nature of the MRP, the MRP Partners coordinated by IOM made a call for $58.5 million US Dollars, as only $2 million US Dollars had been raised since the February launch.  

MRP Mission Countries

IOM Djibouti web page: https://www.iom.int/countries/djibouti  

IOM Ethiopia web page: https://ethiopia.iom.int

IOM Somalia web page: https://somalia.iom.int

IOM Yemen web page: https://yemen.iom.int