ACAPS Thematic report: The Eastern Migration Route: From Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia – risks and humanitarian needs
The Eastern Migration Route is one of the main migration routes globally, running from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia. It is among the busiest maritime migration routes; reports on 2019 movements indicate an average of 11,500 people boarding every month (IOM 14/02/2020), with 63% of the migratory movement tracked in the Horn of Africa region (IOM 05/05/2020).
Between 2017 and early 2020, at least 400,000 Ethiopians reached the Arabian Peninsula through this road (Africa Renewal 22/05/2020). Despite the high risks associated with irregular migration, Ethiopians still find Saudi Arabia an escape from dire living conditions because employment opportunities are available there (HRW 15/08/2019). The number of migrants attempting the journey has decreased since the first half of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of the border with Djibouti. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and key drivers of migration remain unsolved, this number is expected to gradually increase. Since November 2020, more than 50,000 Ethiopians – or an average of 6,500 per month – have attempted to migrate to Saudi Arabia (DTM accessed 06/09/2021)
Source: Assessment Capacities Project