Aden (South24 Center)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 14,834 migrants entered Yemen during April 2026, despite a 13% decline in migration flows compared to the previous month, which recorded 17,027 arrivals.

According to a report issued by the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), Djibouti remained the primary departure point for migrants arriving in Yemen during April, accounting for approximately 67% of total flows, followed by Somalia at 28% and Oman at 5%.

The report stated that migrants departing from Djibouti mainly entered Yemen through Abyan governorate, which received 65% of these arrivals, followed by Taiz governorate with 35%.

Meanwhile, all migrants departing from Somalia continued to arrive via Shabwa governorate, while 748 migrants entered from Oman through the Shahan district in Al-Mahra governorate.

According to the report, men accounted for approximately 65% of total arrivals during April, compared to 17% women and 18% children.

The organization also recorded the departure of 1,223 migrants from Yemen during the same period. Most departed toward Obock in Djibouti, with the majority — 1,155 migrants — leaving from Lahj governorate, while the remainder departed from Abyan governorate toward Djibouti.

The report added that 22 migrants departed from Al-Mahra governorate toward the Sultanate of Oman.

The figures come amid intensified discussions between the Yemeni government and the IOM on ways to curb irregular migration flows, against the backdrop of growing concerns over their security and humanitarian implications.

On April 20, the Yemeni government held a meeting in the capital, Aden, with an IOM delegation to discuss the establishment of migrant reception centers in Aden and Lahj, the activation of field registration points along the coasts of Abyan, Shabwa, and Lahj, and the development of a national migrant database.

The meeting also addressed strengthening the capabilities of the Yemeni Coast Guard in search-and-rescue operations and supporting security agencies in combating smuggling and human trafficking networks, amid the continued influx of migrants through Yemeni coastal areas, particularly in Shabwa, Abyan, and Al-Mahra.