Djibouti — Flow Monitoring Report (April 2021)

During the month of April 2021, 16,453 movements were observed at flow monitoring points in Djibouti representing a daily average of 548 movements. This is a 21% increase from the 454 average daily movements observed in March 2021.

Of these 16,453 movements, 24% were observed at Obock. This coastal region of Djibouti is used by migrants traveling to the Arab Peninsula, crossing the Gulf of Aden on boats along the Eastern Route. Of the 3,928 movements observed in the Obock region, 18% (722) were movements originating in Yemen towards Ethiopia.

From January 2020 to June 2020, the number of entries from Djibouti's western borders decreased by 99% due to the closure of Ethiopian borders. Since Djibouti and Ethiopia resumed land services in July, the number of entries from Ethiopia have increased sharply; they went from 504 movements observed in July 2020 to 6,406 in April 2021.

At the same time, due to movement restrictions due to COVID-19 in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, more than 12,701 Ethiopians have returned from Yemen since May 2020. Between May 2020 and April 2021, the number of arrivals from Yemen has been multiplied by 14, from 109 in May 2020 to 1,479 in April 2021.