Yemen calls for solutions to illegal immigration from the Horn of Africa.

Arabian Sea - Exclusive

Private_Yemen With the continued influx of illegal immigrants from the Horn of Africa to Yemen, the Yemeni government has called on the United Nations for sustainable solutions to this phenomenon and assistance in establishing reception sites for them, warning of the security risks associated with the presence of large numbers of them without documentation. Official sources stated that the Director of Security of the temporary Yemeni capital, Aden, Major General Mutahhar Al-Shuaibi, discussed during a meeting with the Director of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Aden, Mohammed Rafiq Nasri, the situation of refugees and illegal immigrants coming from the Horn of Africa countries, and the challenges resulting from their increasing influx into the southern governorates of the country, particularly the city of Aden. The meeting also reviewed the security and humanitarian risks associated with unregulated displacement and migration, and the increasing pressures borne by security and service agencies as a result of the presence of large numbers of these undocumented refugees and migrants, and the challenges this poses to security, stability, and services. The Yemeni security official pointed out the importance of coordinating with the UNHCR and international organizations concerned with migration to find realistic and sustainable solutions to this phenomenon, stressing the need to allocate alternative residential sites for refugees outside populated areas to reduce the chances of friction or tension with local residents. According to security media, the Director of Security of Aden called on the Refugee Affairs Commission to abide by the agreements concluded with the government side, especially with regard to the procedures for receiving and distributing refugees and providing their basic needs within the available capabilities, and not allowing random movement within cities, specifically in the city's districts that have become "facing increasing pressure." According to Yemeni security media, the Director of Security of Aden discussed with the UN official strengthening joint regional cooperation to address the issue of irregular migration, by coordinating efforts between source countries in the Horn of Africa, transit countries such as Yemen, and destination countries in the Arabian Gulf. The importance of holding periodic meetings bringing together the National Committee for Refugee Affairs, the UNHCR, and the Immigration and Passports Authority was also emphasized, to support the capabilities of local authorities in dealing with this complex file in a responsible and humane manner. The UN official was quoted as expressing his full understanding of the legitimate security concerns raised by the Yemeni authorities, and his confirmation that the UNHCR shares these concerns, especially in light of increasing reports of violations against migrants along smuggling routes, including torture, murder, and gross human rights violations. The Director of the UNHCR office praised the humanitarian role played by Yemen, despite the difficult economic conditions it is going through, and said that it continues to receive and care for refugees, but it is in dire need of genuine international support to share the burdens and face the ongoing criticism that the government is subjected to by some human rights organizations without regard to the existing reality. The UN official reiterated the UNHCR's commitment to close cooperation with the Yemeni government, and said that the issue of determining refugee status is the responsibility of the Yemeni state, as it is a party to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol. He recalled Yemen's declared commitments at the Global Refugee Forum, especially with regard to preparing a national legislative framework for asylum that provides legal protection for refugees in accordance with international standards. The Director of the UN Office affirmed the UNHCR's readiness to provide the necessary technical and logistical support to implement these commitments, calling on the international community to bear its moral and humanitarian responsibility and not leave Yemen to face this complex crisis alone. The meeting between the Yemeni security official and the UN official coincided with the authorities in Shabwa Governorate announcing the arrival of 86 illegal immigrants from the Horn of Africa to the coasts of the governorate located east of Aden, including 38 people of Ethiopian nationality (30 men and 8 women), in addition to 48 of Somali nationality, where the authorities seized five batches before that since the beginning of this month. According to the Security Media Center of the Yemeni Ministry of Interior, this batch arrived on board a smuggling boat to the Kida coast in Radhum District. The center confirmed that the security services have taken the possible legal measures regarding the process of the influx of African infiltrators towards the governorate, to maintain security and stability and prevent the negative repercussions and security risks resulting from it. The security services in the same governorate had previously seized 1,020 illegal immigrants from the Horn of Africa countries in 5 separate operations, with a call to the central government and the International Organization for Migration to "address the problem of the continuous flow of illegal immigrants, given its security and economic repercussions."