Somali Migrants in Yemen Face Dire Conditions, Seek Repatriation

Somali Migrants in Yemen Face Dire Conditions, Seek Repatriation
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Thousands of Somali migrants in Yemen live in extreme poverty in Aden’s “Little Mogadishu,” struggling for basic necessities amid ongoing conflict, AFP reports. Many arrived in Yemen hoping to reach Gulf states for work, but tight border security and Yemen’s economic collapse have trapped them.

Many migrants spend their days searching for odd jobs or scavenging food. “Some days we eat, some days it’s up to God,” they say, describing life in the war-torn country. After paying traffickers $500 to leave Somalia, they now plan to return home through a UN voluntary repatriation program.

UN data shows Somalia accounts for about 63% of Yemen’s 61,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers. More than half of Yemen’s population — around 19.5 million people — require humanitarian aid, with unemployment and currency depreciation worsening migrants’ conditions.

The UNHCR has repatriated over 500 Somalis this year and plans additional flights, providing transport and cash assistance. Many hope to rebuild their lives in Somalia if relative peace holds.