KEY FIGURES
- 6,541 Refugees registered since the outbreak of the crisis
- 2,780 Registered females.
- 2,456 Registered children and adolescents.
PRIORITIES
- Ensure protection of refugees and asylum seekers and provide assistance.
- Provide documents to refugees.
- Work with the government to ensure access to territory and freedom of movement.
- Continue to develop the infrastructure at Markazi camp.
- Continue border monitoring activities.
HIGHLIGHTS
- According to the latest available statistics from IOM and the Djibouti government, 31,779 persons of mixed nationalities have arrived in Djibouti as of 21 January 2016 (since 26 March). Of those, 17,634 persons (55 per cent) are Yemeni nationals, 12,207 (39 per cent) are transiting migrants and 1,938 persons (6 per cent) are Djiboutian returnees.
- As of 24 January 2016, UNHCR and ONARS registered 6,541 refugees of which 6,316 are Yemeni nationals; the majority was registered in Obock. There are a total of 3,106 refugees sheltered in Markazi refugee camp. The remaining refugees live in Obock and Djibouti city.
- UNHCR and ONARS are conducting a head count to verify the numbers of refugees currently residing in the camp.
UPDATE ON ACHIEVEMENTS
Operational Context and Migration
Canadian Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, H.E. Philip Baker visited Markazi camp on 19 January together with delegations from the WFP regional and country offices and the USAID regional office. The delegations met with refugees and community leaders to discuss their conditions in the camp and visited the camp infrastructures including the health and nutrition units, the water taps, latrines, showers, kitchens and the refugee housing units. The delegation also visited the IOM Migrant Response Centre (MRC) where they learnt about the activities and services provided to the migrants and discussed proposed intervention plans for the forthcoming year.
Shakespeare’s theatre company The Globe performed Hamlet at Markazi refugee camp as part of its Globe-to-Globe world tour. The company chose Yemeni refugees in Djibouti since they could not themselves go to Yemen. Children and adults alike were mesmerized by the performance and the chance to meet renowned actors who interchanged various roles in a colourful and musical setting. It was a memorable day for all and a diversion from their day to day routine in the camp.
Border monitoring trends in the past weeks continue to reveal an increase in boats arriving from Aden. The majority of arrivals from Aden have declined from registering as refugees as they prefer to use Djibouti as a transit country before continuing on their respective journeys.
A head count to verify the numbers of refugees residing in the camp is currently being carried out by UNHCR and ONARS staff.
Since 26 March, IOM Djibouti has assisted 4,775 migrants with emergency shelter and food, non-food items, medical assistance and Onward Transportation Assistance (OTA). These include 2,257 individuals evacuated on IOM chartered boats from Al Hodeida and 95 individuals evacuated on IOM chartered flights from Sana’a to Mogadishu via Djibouti. Since the last reporting period, the MRC in Obock received 42 migrants including eight unaccompanied children requesting assisted voluntary return. IOM also received a similar request from a citizen of Myanmar who self-evacuated from Yemen. IOM has provided accommodation for him in Djibouti city and is currently coordinating with IOM Myanmar and relevant authorities to facilitate his return.
On 19 January, IOM facilitated the return of the 12 year old Ethiopian girl who had arrived to Djibouti the previous week and the young man who had suffered from an accident in the mountains of Lac Asal. Both vulnerable cases returned to Ethiopia by air.
In cooperation with the Djibouti Red Crescent, IOM distributed 42 hygiene kits to migrants at the MRC and in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council, IOM are rehabilitating the water points at the MRC.
IOM Djibouti continues to raise awareness on the dangers related to irregular migration and on the current situation in Yemen. During the reporting period, a total of 205 migrants including 57 women and 30 unaccompanied children from the Oromo, Amara and Tigray ethnic communities were sensitized. A further 75 members of the host community were sensitized on the smuggling and human trafficking.
A football match between the refugees of Markazi camp and those of Ali Addeh refugee camp took place on Friday 15 January. The match was organized by ONARS and UNHCR to foster relations between all refugee communities in Djibouti and took place at the Obock stadium. IOM assisted in the organization by providing mattresses and non-food items to the refugees. On Saturday 23 January, a volleyball match was organized by IOM between the refugees and the migrants. It took place at the MRC.