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Every year, tens of thousands of Ethiopian and Somali migrants embark on a high-risk journey from their countries of origin towards Somalia and Djibouti, with the intention of reaching the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries through Yemen. Located strategically in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen has for decades been a key transit country for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa (HoA), particularly from Ethiopia and Somalia, seeking safety and employment opportunities. Despite the domestic conflict that began in 2015, followed by economic decline and institutional challenges, Yemen remains a frequently travelled transit country for migrants.
According to IOM DTM’s latest Area Assessment Report (February 2025), Yemen hosted over 55,500 migrants across accessible locations in ten of the 12 assessed IRG-controlled governorates. The majority of migrants residing in Yemen originated from Ethiopia (91%), followed by Somalia (9%), with less than one per cent from other countries. It is important to distinguish migrant stock figures from migration flow data, as migrants may remain in Yemen for months or years before moving onward or returning to their countries of origin. During the same year, 110,144 migrants were observed entering Yemen, of whom 97 per cent were Ethiopian and three per cent Somali nationals, highlighting Yemen’s continued role as a key transit country. At the same time, migrants were also observed departing from Yemen, underscoring the country’s position within a broader system of mixed inflow and outflow movements.
Migration within the Horn of Africa and towards and from Yemen continues to be shaped by insecurity and conflict, environmental degradation, adverse climatic conditions, public health emergencies, socioeconomic pressures, and seasonal migration patterns. Recognizing the importance of understanding mixed migration flows in and out of Yemen, the IOM DTM team presents comprehensive information on migration dynamics, trends, and drivers in this report. The Yemen Annual Migration Report 2025 provides data on migrant inflows to Yemen, outflows from Yemen, and profiles of migrants moving through the country, as well as the challenges they face and their future intentions.
In line with these objectives, the report is structured as follows. After the key findings, the first section presents analysis of migration inflows to Yemen and outflows from Yemen recorded at Flow Monitoring Points (FMPs) through the Flow Monitoring Registry (FMR), examining volumes of movement, trends over time, routes, and primary drivers. The subsequent section draws on Flow Monitoring Survey (FMS) data to provide detailed profiles of migrants moving in both inflow and outflow directions, including migration networks, backgrounds, challenges experienced during migration journeys, and migrants’ future intentions, offering a deeper understanding of mixed migration dynamics in Yemen.