EU

Mogadishu – 5 December 2024: 161 Somali migrants, stranded in Libya, were welcomed home by Cabinet Ministers from the Federal Government of Somalia and the Special Presidential Envoy for Migration, Returns and Children’s Rights (OSPE). This assistance was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The chartered flight carrying the migrants landed at Egal International Airport in Hargeisa, for 74 returning migrants to disembark, before continuing to Aden Abdulle International Airport (AAIA), in the capital city Mogadishu, with the remaining 87 migrants. Most of the migrants on board today’s charter flight were young men and women below the age of 30, including minors, who had been stranded in Libya for several months.

“Today is a wonderful day as we welcome our brothers and sisters home. Another 161 of our citizens are safely returned and reunited with their families, and reintegrated into their communities thanks to our partnership with the European Union and IOM,” said Ambassador Mariam Yassin, Special Envoy for Migration, Returns, and Children’s Rights.

"The return of these migrants puts an end to a difficult and painful chapter in their lives. More importantly, it offers a new beginning for a dignified and hopeful future here in Somalia, among their family and friends,” said the EU Ambassador to Somalia, Karin Johansson, who was part of the reception committee. “The European Union is proud to support the Federal Government of Somalia in its duty to ensure the provision of services and opportunities that they need to restart their lives."

“IOM is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all migrants moving through voluntary humanitarian returns, and our partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia and the European Union has already allowed us to assist 600 Somali migrants stranded in Libya. In the coming months, we will assist hundreds more returning from Libya through this partnership,” said IOM Somalia Chief of Mission Manuel Marques Pereira, who was also present at AAIA when the charter flight landed.

Each year, hundreds of Somali migrants embark on irregular journeys along what is known as the Northern Mediterranean Route, passing through multiple countries in hopes of reaching Europe. According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report published in July, more than 1,500 Somali migrants were stranded in Libya; many are living in dangerous and precarious conditions. Insecurity and the lack of essentials such as food, shelter and healthcare in Libya expose migrants to many protection risks. Thousands urgently require protection and humanitarian assistance.

Under Somalia’s Migrant Protection, Return, and Reintegration in Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA) programme funded by the European Union and managed by IOM, the organization assists Somali migrants in returning home. Upon return, the migrants are supported with pocket money to address immediate needs, temporary accommodation, medical assistance (including mental health and psychosocial support) and onward transportation for those reuniting with families outside of the capital, later complemented with direct financial support to facilitate their reintegration into local communities.