Attachments
This Quarterly Mixed Migration Update (QMMU) covers the Eastern and Southern Africa region plus Egypt and Yemen (ESA). The core areas of focus include the Eastern route, from East and the Horn of Africa towards the Arabian Peninsula; the Southern route from East Africa and the Great Lakes towards South Africa; the Central Mediterranean Route (also called the Northern Route) from East and the Horn of Africa towards North Africa; as well as intra-regional mixed migration dynamics. Depending on the quarterly trends and migration-related updates, more attention may be given to any of the countries over the rest.
The QMMUs offer a quarterly update on new trends and dynamics related to mixed migration and relevant policy developments in the region. These updates are based on a compilation of a wide range of secondary (data) sources, brought together within a regional framework and applying a mixed migration analytical lens. Similar QMMUs are available for all MMC regions.
Key Updates
• The war in Sudan continues to fuel internal and cross-border displacement: compared to the previous quarter, cross border movements have increased by 113% in Libya (210,000), 19% in South Sudan (954,616), 12% in Ethiopia (68,008), 11% in Chad (723,951), 8% in Uganda (61,693), and 3% in the Central African Republic (CAR) (36,183). For Egypt (1,200,000), no new figure was published during Q4.
• Increased coverage leads to new data on arrivals in Yemen: In October-November 24,399 migrants entered Yemen, marking a 466% increase from the same period in 2023. According to IOM, the increase can be largely attributed to expanded DTM coverage into the Ta’iz governate. In early October, at least 48 migrants drowned after a double shipwreck off the coast of Djibouti.
• New asylum law in Egypt: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi signed a new asylum bill into law in December, amidst concerns from civil society groups over the impact the law will have on refugee protection, including restricting access to asylum, and giving way to arbitrary detention and unlawful deportations.
• Migrants intercepted along the Southern Route: In Q4, several groups of Ethiopians, Eritreans, Burundians, and Congolese, among other nationalities, were apprehended while en route to South Africa in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Botswana. Zambian authorities reported apprehending at least 573 individuals from October-December.
• Violence in Mozambique fuels cross-border displacement: Following escalating post-election violence in late October, at least 13,000 Mozambicans fled to Malawi, while another 1,000 claimed asylum in Eswatini.
• Two shipwrecks along the Western Indian Ocean Route to Mayotte: In Q4, a shipwreck off the Comorian coast and a double shipwreck involving boats carrying Somalis off Madagascar led to a combined death toll of at least 53, and 47 (Madagascar) and five (The Comoros) survivors rescued.