Officials of the International Organization for Migration report that since the 29 January tragedy near Godoria in the Obock region, north-east of Djibouti more migrants have been approaching IOM for assistance with voluntary return to home countries. The 16 survivors – all Ethiopian – were attended by IOM at its Migrant Response Centre (MRC) in Obock. “Including the 16 survivors of the Godoria shipwreck, this month (February) IOM assisted 1,327 migrants for voluntary return to their home countries,” explained IOM Djibouti Chief of Mission Lalini Veerassamy. That’s close to one third of the total number assisted by IOM in Djibouti in 2018 – 3,382 migrants, Veerassamy explained. Among those at the Obock was Bayan Mohamed Youssouf, a 20-year-old Ethiopian migrant, who will be going home soon through the IOM’s assisted voluntary return support.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 27, 2019 08:15 UTC