Quenching thirst and creating change: A lifeline for migrants at Djibouti's gateway of hope
Djibouti is located on Africa’s east coast at the Bab al-Mandab Strait and has daytime temperatures of up to 49 degrees. The state is relatively peaceful and stable, while surrounded by conflict-prone countries. Its geographical location makes it a key transit country for migrants, and the massive numbers of people travelling through the country created major challenges. In 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 435,576 migratory movements, an average of 1,190 daily.
The Better Migration Management (BMM) Programme, funded by the European Union (EU) and Germany, has been supporting Djibouti since 2016 in making migration safe and legal and protecting those affected. To this end, the National Coordination Office for Migration was set up in 2019 with the support of BMM.
Drinking water and a call home
The port of Obock in the north of Djibouti is a gateway to the countries of the Middle East. The closest destination is Yemen. Most of the people crossing the country make their way to this migration hotspot, mainly on foot in the scorching heat. They arrive dehydrated, hungry, and in urgent need of basic supplies. “The first thing we give them is water,” says Fahim Neguib from the Network Meilleur Gestion Migratoire (MGM), a coalition of 17 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), that offer a range of basic services: water, food and clothes. “Sometimes we offer our phones so they can call home letting their families know that they are alive. If necessary, we refer them to the nearest polyclinic.”
Similar assistance is provided by the Red Crescent Society of Djibouti. In collaboration with BMM it has been operating a mobile unit along the routes. Since February 2024, more than 7,000 people in need have received water, food, first aid, hygiene kits etc. Yet, access to healthcare remains limited. Even with referrals to hospitals, many cannot afford medicine, and humanitarian aid is sparse.
One strategy, three priorities
The National Coordination Office for Migration, under the Ministry of the Interior, launched Djibouti’s first National Migration Strategy in 2021, focusing on protection, security, and development. Initiatives include training border officers to improve the safe and legal movement, implementing an e-visa system, which is key to simplifying entry procedures, and rolling out Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the investigation and prosecution of trafficking and smuggling serving as step-by-step procedural instructions for the police, gendarmerie and prosecutors.
“Health is a key priority,’ explains Hasna Omar Farah, leading this area in the Coordination Office. ‘We want to strengthen the health care system across the country to improve medical care and hygiene standards for the growing number of migrants, but also our own population, the people in the host communities.’ An important step was the opening of a clinic IOM’s Migration Response Centre in Obock, offering medical and psychosocial care, and emergency shelter.
In 2021, Djibouti validated a national referral mechanism developed with BMM support, to better identify vulnerable migrants and refer them to the right place within the assistance system. It connects police, welfare, and health services and implemented by the Coordination Office. The MGM Network is integrated into this mechanism and plays a critical role in protection and assistance. However, both for government operations and civil society activities, funding remains an obstacle. Neguib volunteers both for the MGM and one of its members, the CSO Bender Djedid. Active for over 30 years, Bender Djedid offers food, water, IT access, and educational support. It also creatively raises funds. “We are renting out our large, fully equipped event room on the upper floor of our premises, which is a very popular service,’ explains Neguib. ‘Also, we are partnering with supermarkets, where we set up collection points for donations. When you do your shopping, you can buy an extra bag of rice or a pallet of water and hand it in there directly.’
Named after Djibouti City's first residential area, Bender Djedid stands as a symbol of resilience, offering a sense of community and hope to those in transit.
Links
Short film on the assistance programme in cooperation with the Red Crescent Society of Djibouti
