DJIBOUTI
INTER-AGENCY UPDATE FOR THE RESPONSE TO
THE YEMENI CRISIS
7 May – 13 May 2015
KEY FIGURES
1,145
HIGHLIGHTS

UNHCR and ONARS, the government refugee agency, have registered 1,145
arrivals from Yemen since 27 March. Of these, 867 refugees are currently
hosted in the temporary transit center Al-Rahma orphanage and at the
Markazi camp.

UNHCR has continued the distribution of refugee attestations at the Markazi
camp. Until 12 May 260 refugees have received ID-cards.

UNHCR has established a presence at the port in Obock and started its
border monitoring activities on the ground.

IOM Djibouti has assisted 204 TCNs with visa support, transfer, transit
accommodation, and onward air and ground transportation
Refugees registered since the
outbreak of the crisis.
260
ID-cards distributed.
399
Registered children and
adolescents.
204
Population of concern
TCN assited.
A total of
1,145 people of concern
Nationality 0-4 years
PRIORITIES





Ensure protection of refugees and
provide assistance.
Provide documents to refugees
Work with the government to
ensure registration of newly
arrived refugees.
Continue to develop the
infrastructure at the Markazi
camp.
Continue border monitoring
activities.
Yemen
Syria
Irak
Palestine
Somalia
Eritrea
Pakistan
Total
M
50
0
0
0
0
3
0
53
F
5-11
years
55
M
79
0
0
0
0
0
1
56
0
0
1
3
0
0
83
F
12-17
years
68
M
64
0
0
0
5
0
0
73
0
0
0
0
2
0
66
F
18-59
years
60
years+
65
M
421
F
227
M
33
0
0
1
1
1
0
68
4
1
1
5
5
1
437
0
0
2
6
1
2
238
0
0
0
0
0
0
33
TOTAL
F
36
1098
0
0
0
2
0
0
38
4
1
5
22
12
4
1145
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Inter-Agency Update-Yemen Situation Djibouti
UPDATE ON ACHIEVEMENTS
Operational Context
Since the escalation of the Yemen conflict in March 2015, more than 1,200 people were killed and over 5,000 injured,
including a large number of civilians. At least 150,000 people have been displaced, food prices have risen by more than
40% in some locations and fuel prices have quadrupled. The country’s health system is at imminent risk of collapse due
to shortages of medical supplies and fuel for generators. In this context, those Yemenis, refugees, migrants and TCNs
with means to leave Yemen flee the country to the neighbouring countries.
According to statistics from IOM and the Djiboutian government, 11,183 persons of mixed nationalities have arrived in
Djibouti as of 12 May since the onset of the crisis. 4,265 of those are Yemeni nationals. As of 15 May UNHCR has
registered 1,218 refugees of which 1,170 are Yemeni nationals. In order to be able to host the new arrivals, the
government has asked UNHCR to establish a new refugee camp in Obock, a region in the North of Djibouti. The refugee
site, Markazi, is located on the coast, four kilometers away from Obock city, the capital of the region.
940 refugees are currently hosted in the temporary transit center Al-Rahma orphanage and at the Markazi refugee
camp. The overall living conditions in Obock are difficult. Obock is a hard-to-reach region that has been severely
affected by drought since 2008. Considering the influx of populations from Yemen and the consecutive decision to setup a new refugee camp, its consequences on the host communities have to be considered.
Djibouti has a long tradition as a refugee-hosting nation. Despite its limited resources, the country has always hosted
thousands of people in search of security. For decades, the Republic of Djibouti has been hosting a caseload of refugees
from neighbouring countries (Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea) who have fled war and political conflict in the unstable part
of the Horn of Africa region.
Achievements
Protection
Achievements and Impact

UNHCR and ONARS have registered 203 refugees during this reporting period. 140 family attestations and 280 IDCards for refugees have been distributed.
 For protection and safety purposes, ONARS has installed a
generator with a capacity of 20 KVA at Markazi camp. The
capacity of the generator allows lighting of areas in the camp
from 07:00 p.m. until 03:00 a.m. Negotiations are under way for
a generator with a bigger capacity as well as for charging stations
and power extension cables.
 One separated child and two unaccompanied children have been
identified by UNHCR Community Services staff. They are
currently staying at Markazi camp. A Best Interest Assessment
has been conducted. While the two unaccompanied children are
under the guardianship of the community leader, the separated
child stays with his uncle.
Yemeni refugees at Markazi camp who just have received their family
attestation and ID-cards. © UNHCR
 The questionnaire on Child Protection rapid assessment was discussed and validated by the Protection Working
Group. The methodological approach is being developed and the assessment will be launched at the end of May
by UNICEF and UNHCR in partnership with DRC, UNFD and the Association for the Promotion of Children Rights.
Identified Needs and Remaining Gaps
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
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Inter-Agency Update-Yemen Situation Djibouti

There is an urgent need of the enclosure of the camp in order to ensure a maximum of security to refugees living
in the camp. This concern has been raised several times by refugees who confirmed not feeling safe in the camp
as trespassers and animals could easily enter the site. UNHCR did an assessment on the enclosure of the camp
which amounted from USD 304,000 to USD 467,000.

UNHCR is advocating for reinforcement of the security personnel in the camp, in order to ensure safety on the site
as well as access to the water bladders and prevent vandalism on the infrastructure. Once in place, UNHCR will
organize training sessions / awareness raising campaigns amongst security staff specific to the refugee camp
context.

There is a need for strong generators (100 KVA) to provide public lighting for the entire camp site which would
increase the feeling of security in the camp.

As far as departures from Obock are concerned, the movement from Obock to Djibouti and from Obock to Yemen
remains a serious concern to UNHCR, even if the nature and scope of the reasons of leaving are difficult to
ascertain. Notwithstanding, UNHCR’s counselling at the border outlining the risk they might face in case of return,
14 individuals (males) originating from Yemen reached the port of Obock and made their final decision to go to
Yemen. They were very reluctant to share basic information with UNHCR. The local authorities facilitated their
travel following an agreement not to take any action against their will to join their families reported to be still in
Yemen.

Refugees in Obock are yet to understand the extent of the rights and duties they are accorded by their refugee
status. In this context, all efforts to facilitate common understanding will be encouraged. This should be done
jointly with the government and the community leaders. As a first step an information brochure will be
developed and distributed by UNHCR.
Migrants, TNC, returnees
Achievements and Impact

As of 11 May, IOM Djibouti has assisted 204 TCNs with visa support, transfer, transit accommodation, and onward
air and ground transportation. Until 13 May, 311 Ethiopians who were stranded in Djibouti were provided with
evacuation assistance to Addis Ababa.
Education
Achievements and Impact

UNHCR conducted a preliminary education assessment for the Yemeni caseload that will be settled in Markazi
camp, and met with local authorities and education inspectors.

Additionally, UNHCR conducted a partner mapping exercise locally and met with UNICEF about the deployment of
EiE tents and materials. UNICEF has prepositioned 2 tents, 2 school-in-a-box with Early Childhood Education
pedagogical materials for about 100 children during three months. A summary of the assessment and a
preliminary plan will be presented to partners during the Education Sector Working Group meeting for discussion,
revision and validation.
Health
Achievements and Impact

Waiting for a full-fledged presence of a medical partner, UNHCR and the local authorities are handling serious and
daily medical cases on a case-by-case basis with a potential referral system to the existing medical infrastructure
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
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Inter-Agency Update-Yemen Situation Djibouti
in Djibouti ville. Refugees with specific medical conditions / chronic diseases have been identified and were given
priority along with the elderly refugees, who cannot stand the heat. Thus, an evacuation system has been
established to provide timely and proper assistance when needed.

An integrated national vaccination campaign against Polio and Measles has been launched by the government
with the support of WHO. The campaign is targeting children until the age of 15 years. WHO officals visited
Markazi camp to assess the needs and advocated for the inclusion of the refugee population.
 Vitamin A supplementation and check-up of immunisation status is ongoing for all under-5 refugee children upon
arrival.
 WHO provided five mobiles clinics to the Ministry of Health with support of Government of Japan with an
approximate cost of USD 400,000. One mobile will be dedicated to the region of Obock, where it will also be at
the service of refugees. The mobile clinics provide amongst others basic preventive and curative health care such
as consultations for pregnant women, vaccination, detection and management of malaria, diarrhoea, HIV testing.
Identified Needs and Remaining Gaps
 Given the high vulnerability of the refugee population, especially children and women, it is critical to ensure the
continuity and quality of healthcare services.
Food Security and Nutrition
Achievements and Impact
 Malnutrition screening is ongoing for all under-5 refugee children,
pregnant women and lactating mothers upon arrival. Six cases of
severe acute malnutrition and 12 cases of moderate acute
malnutrition have been identified among children under-five, and
are receiving adequate treatment and care.

The medical status of the two children suffering from severe acute
malnutrition who had been admitted at Obock Regional Hospital
for paediatric care last week is now stable. They are back to the
Markazi camp and are now taken in charge by the medical service
in site.
 As of 17 May, the World Food Programme provided food
assistance to 974 refugees at Markazi camp and in the temporary
transit center Al-Rahma. During the reporting period, WFP
distributed dry food rations for the coming two weeks to more
than 300 Yemeni refugees in the camp. The food rations comprise
of wheat, peas, oil, sugar and Wheat Soya Blend.
Hangar for food distribution at Markazi camp, Obock. © UNHCR
Identified Needs and Remaining Gaps
 Notwithstanding the referral system of refugees with specific medical needs and their regular follow up with the
doctors, there is a need to develop a feeding program with other partners most importantly for cases suffering
from Diabetics and High blood pressure. In this regard, the provision of specialized menus for these particular
cases will be discussed with ONARS.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
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Inter-Agency Update-Yemen Situation Djibouti
Water and Sanitation
Identified Needs and Remaining Gaps
 The presence of several humanitarian actors in the field is key for the response but also poses risks in terms of
duplication of interventions, particularly when it comes to distribution of WASH NFIs.
Shelter and NFIs
Achievements and Impact

Refugees who have been hosted in the transit center situated in the sports center have all been transferred to
Markazi camp. In order to provide shelter to the new arrivals, UNHCR has erected 25 additional tents which lead
to a total of 124 tents at camp site. 90 additional tents are expected to arrive in the coming days and will be
installed in the camp. Refugees staying at the Al-Rahma transit center are expected to move progressively to the
camp.
Identified Needs and Remaining Gaps

At the Markazi camp site, 40 latrines and 10 community kitchens are currently in place. 34 latrines are still subject
to additional work and adaptations in order to meet UNHCR emergency standards.
Working in partnership

UNHCR is coordinating assistance efforts with the government. The response is organized per sectorial working
groups (for protection, shelter, water, food security, nutrition, education and health). These sectorial activities are
included in the contingency/response plan to ensure a harmonized approach between all cooperating NGOs (NRC,
DRC, AHA, LWF…), UN agencies (UNICEF, WFP, FAO, WHO…) and governmental counterparts (ONARS and
different ministries).

11 UN agencies and NGOs have submitted their inputs for the Refugee Response Plan for the Yemen crisis. A first
draft has been sent to all organizations involved for feedback and comments. The amended document was shared
with participating organizations at headquarter level and is currently circulating for further comments.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Agencies are very grateful for the financial support provided by donors who have contributed to their activities with
unearmarked and broadly earmarked funds as well as for those who have contributed directly to the operation.
Contacts:
Marie-Claire Sowinetz, External Relations Officer, [email protected], Cell +253 77 20 23 26
Links:
Twitter: @UNHCRDjibouti
Regional portal: http://unhcr-regional.or.ke/country/djibouti
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – www.unhcr.org
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