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Migration Response Centres (MRCs) East and Horn of Africa01
JANUARY - 31 AUGUST 2020
REGIONAL OVERVIEW: AUGUST 2020 MRC LOCATIONS &
REGISTRATIONS
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Migration Response Centers (MRCs) are situated along key
migration routes, where they fill critical gaps by providing direct
assistance, including food and temporary shelter, information and
service referrals to migrants on the move. Working collaboratively,
MRCs bring together key partners to facilitate the identification
of migrants in vulnerable situations, and ensure that they receive
appropriate, immediate and longer-term support. Seven MRCs are
currently operational in the Horn of Africa: Hargeisa and Bossaso
since 2009, Djibouti since 2011, Semera and Metema since 2014, and
Dire Dawa and Togochale since end of 2019, following a request from
the Government of Ethiopia in August 2019. The services provided by
each MRC vary based on location and needs.
Awareness-Raising Activities in the Context of COVID-19 in
Bossaso © MRC Bossaso, August 2020
Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
Indian Ocean
Nairobi
Mogadishu
Djibouti
Khartoum
Juba
Sana’a
ERITREA
ETHIOPIAETHIOPIA
SOMALIASOMALIA
KENYA
YEMEN
OMAN
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
SUDAN
SOUTHSUDAN
UGANDA
1:30,000,000 N
YEMEN
SNNPR Oromia
Amhara AfarBariWoqooyi Galbeed
Legend:MRCCountry Capital
DJIBOUTIDJIBOUTI
0 August383 Jan-Aug
Semera
48 August537 Jan-Aug
Hargeisa
106 August1,478 Jan-Aug
0 August664 Jan-Aug
Metema
No. of registrationsin August 2020
No. of registrationsfrom Jan - Aug 4,866
MRC location
ERITREA
Addis Ababa
Asmara
Addis Ababa
Woqooyi Galbeed
Asmara
176
22 August827 Jan-Aug
Obock
Bossaso
Togochale0 August
538 Jan-AugDire Dawa
0 August439 Jan-Aug
A total of 176 migrants were registered at MRCs across the
region in August, a 35% decrease compared to July. This brings the
total registrations in 2020 to 4,866 migrants. Only three out of
seven MRCs recorded registrations in August. The largest number of
migrants were registered in Bossaso (106), followed by Hargeisa
(48) and Obock (22). No migrants were registered in Ethiopia at the
MRCs in Dire Dawa, Metema, Semera and Togochale.
COVID-19 cases in the region were still on the rise in August,
particularly in Ethiopia which recorded a drastic increase in new
cases. The country continued to operate under a state of emergency,
but announced the resumption of land and air transport services to
neighbouring Djibouti on 7 August. Since 17 July, Djibouti's air,
land and sea borders have reopened with strict health guidelines
put in place. Similary, Somalia reopened its airspace for
international flights at the beginning of the month, while domestic
flights have been operational since July. Despite the reopening of
some Ethiopian land border points, Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR)
services were still suspended, and no migrant was returned to
Ethiopia in August.
The MRC in Obock registered 22 new migrants in August. In the
context of COVID-19, the admission of new migrants at the MRC in
Obock was reduced to admitting the most vulnerable migrants only,
namely women, children and sick migrants. Nonetheless, the MRC in
Obock is conducting COVID-19 awareness activities in the MRC area
as well as protection activities on the migration route between
Obock City and Khor Angar, which is used by migrants returning from
Yemen to Ethiopia. In Bossaso, migrant registrations decreased by
almost 50% between July and August, while the MRC in Hargeisa
recorded a 20% decrease in registrations over the reporting
period.
Unlike in July, more female adults (41%) were registered in
August than male adults (33%), while 26% of registrations were
children. Most migrant children were registered in Hargeisa (48%),
whereas 28% were registered in Obock and 24% in Bossaso. While all
children registered at the MRC in Hargeisa were accompanied, all
children tracked in Bossaso and Obock were unaccompanied.
Almost all registered migrants were Ethiopian nationals (99.4%),
most commonly from the Oromia (53%) and Amhara (10%), regions of
Ethiopia. About 9% reported departing from Aden in Yemen; these
migrants were all registered at the MRC in Obock. As returns to
Ethiopia from Yemen have not yet resumed, many migrants have
attempted to travel from Yemen to Djibouti by boat, and then cross
the Djiboutian desert on foot over the past few months. The
majority of registrees in Obock (95%) and some in Bossaso (10%) and
Hargeisa (2%) were planning to go back to their country of origin
(19% overall). Nonetheless, many others reported their intention to
continue their journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (38%
overall). This was most commonly the case amongst migrants
registered in Bossaso (90%). Overall, most migrants reported
migrating for economic reasons (69%) or cited educational reasons
(20%), while 2% reported migrating for health reasons.
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Migration Response Centres (MRCs) East and Horn of Africa01
JANUARY - 31 AUGUST 2020
MIGRANT JOURNEYS
Country of Departure, MRC and Intended Destination
Family Alone Group & Family
ObockBossaso Hargeisa Metema Semera80+15+2+1+1+1Economic
ReasonsNatural DisastersFamily ReunificationArmed ConflictEducation
80%
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Migration Response Centres (MRCs) East and Horn of Africa01
JANUARY - 31 AUGUST 2020
62+18+7+7+2+1+1MIGRANT PROFILES AND VULNERABILITIES
None SecondaryPrimary Other
1,824 Vulnerable Migrants (37% of total) *
Male
Female3%
Educational Background by Sex
94+6+A 6%94% Migrated PreviouslyDid not Migrate
PreviouslyPrevious Migration Attempts
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(1,749)
(2,789)
Most Reported Hardships During the Journey *
migrant registrations 14,850
62% 38%
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Background & Methodology IOM established the MRC Regional
Data Collection System, encompassing all MRCs in the Horn of
Africa, in July 2016 to advance a standardized approach for
collecting data and monitoring responses to mixed migration flows
in the region. Data is collected upon migrant registration at the
MRCs. Only the information of migrants that consent to their data
being captured is collected. IOM does not share individual-level
data. The MRC screening form was designed to foster a better
understanding of migrant hardships, vulnerabilities and needs, as
well as their motivations and intentions. The data collected is
able to inform evidence-based policy and programming in the
region.
In 2018, IOM revised the MRC Regional Data Collection System to
strengthen the provision of relevant and robust data. First, a
technical working group was established to revise the MRC screening
form to better capture the fluidity of migrants’ movements, their
vulnerabilities and the services provided to them at the MRCs.
Simultaneously, a regional network of Information Management
Assistants was established to facilitate and harmonise data
collection activities and further strengthen the MRC Data
Collection System. Finally, all focal persons and other relevant
MRC staff across the region received training on the MRC data
collection procedures.
This factsheet presents key findings, rather than the entire
range of information gathered in the MRC questionnaire. Information
is collected in the MRCs by trained enumerators upon migrant
registration. Findings are triangulated through other IOM data
collection systems and secondary sources including news monitoring
and humanitarian reports. All data presented in this factsheet
should be taken as indicative rather than representative and should
not be used to generalise across the region.
Regional Data Hub | RDHEstablished in early 2018, the RDH aims
to support evidence-based, strategic and policy-level discussion on
migration through a combination of initiatives. Its strategy is
structured along four main pillars: strengthening regional primary
and secondary data collection and analysis; increasing Information
Management capacity across countries; conducting regional research
and analysis, and enhancing knowledge-sharing across programmatic
and policy-level stakeholders; and providing technical support to
key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to enhance their
migration data portfolio in line with regional and global
initiatives.
Contact: [email protected]
Migration Response Centres (MRCs) East and Horn of Africa01
JANUARY - 31 AUGUST 2020
MIGRANT NEEDS AND SERVICE PROVISION
Medical Support
Phone/Phone Credit
Hygiene Kit
Protection
Emergency Shelter
Psychosocial Support
24+20+14+14+11+9+6+1+1+AServices Provided at MRCs *
Multi-sectoral Needs Reported *14,430
2,7712,3281,6231,4681,2631,006
Service Referrals Provided *129 59+32+3+3+3+2+1Other
Services/OrganisationsConsular ServiceSpecialized Medical Service
843Food & Water
Emergency Assistance
Psychosocial Services
Medical Services
Assisted Voluntary Return
Transportation Assistance
Food & Water
11,307
Other
Clothing/Blankets
705 Communication with Family
* Multiple choices allowed.2 Victims of trafficking.
2
Transportation
Assisted Voluntary Return
10439
Counseling/Screening Services
Protection
ObockBossaso Hargeisa Metema Semera
1,586 2,084 3,217 3,737 943 1,286 1,577
Dire Dawa
Togochale
Legal Assitance
32Child Protection Service 4
3
UNHCR or Refugee Agency
Secondary Screening for Potential VoTs2 1
