By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Djibouti, 28 April 2026 Djibouti is hosting talks on the deadly eastern migration route to Yemen, gathering regional and international partners, state news agency ADI reported.
The meeting, which runs from April 27 to April 30 in the coastal city of Tadjourah, includes technical experts from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), member states and international organisations, according to ADI.
Djibouti’s Interior Minister Said Nouh Hassan, who also serves as acting chair of IGAD, opened the discussions, highlighting the scale and urgency of migration flows along the eastern route.
He said the corridor is widely used by migrants but remains highly dangerous, exposing them to trafficking, violence and exploitation, ADI reported.
Hassan called for coordinated regional action to protect migrants and dismantle criminal networks, while urging additional support to strengthen Djibouti’s capacity to manage migration flows.
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IGAD officials also stressed the need for a joint response, including cooperation with neighbouring countries such as Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Participants are expected to develop a “Tadjourah Action Plan” aimed at improving migration management, enhancing protection measures and supporting reintegration efforts, ADI reported.
The meeting is supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the European Union and other partners, according to the report.
The “Eastern Migration Route” is one of the world’s most active irregular migration corridors, with thousands of migrants each year departing from the Horn of Africa—mainly Ethiopia and Somalia—through Djibouti, before crossing the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden into Yemen and onward to Saudi Arabia.
The torturous journey exposes migrants to severe risks, including drowning, trafficking, violence and harsh humanitarian conditions along the route.