Djibouti — Flow Monitoring Report (May 2021)

During the month of May 2021, 14,195 movements were observed at flow monitoring points in Djibouti representing a daily average of 458 movements. This is a decrease of 17% from the 548 average daily movements observed in April 2021.

Of these 14,195 movements, 22% 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 3,119 movements oberserd in the Obock region, 23% (704) 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 in0 July, the number of entries from Ethiopia have increased sharply; they went from 504 movements observed in July 2020 to 6,188 in May 2021.

At the same time, due to movement restrictions due to COVID-19 in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, more than 13,601 Ethiopians have returned from Yemen since May 2020. Between May 2020 and May 2021, the number of arrivals from Yemen have increased by a multiple of 9, from 109 in May 2020 to 900 in May 2021.