The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Saturday, July 27th, that it had assisted 181 Ethiopian migrants stranded in Yemen in returning to their home country in June.

According to an IOM report, a total of 181 Ethiopian migrants trapped in Yemen were repatriated through the Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program during June 2024.

The IOM's voluntary return program for migrants in Yemen is currently funded by the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, as well as the French Ministry of Interior and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In May, the IOM announced that it had repatriated 2,300 migrants to their home countries this year. In 2023, the organization facilitated the return of approximately 6,600 migrants through flights from Sana'a and Aden.

The IOM anticipates that over 300,000 migrants in Yemen, primarily from Somalia and Ethiopia, will require humanitarian assistance and protection services this year, particularly women and girls. With limited access to food, shelter, or employment, the plight of migrants remains dire as they await an opportunity to return home.