IOM has provided emergency transportation assistance to over 80, 000* Somali refugees who are affected by the worst drought- in decades- in the Horn of Africa Region.  Since August 2011, the Organization continues the transportation operation in close coordination with Government’s Administration for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA) and UNHCR.

With a transportation fleet of its own buses and locally higher mini vans, IOM has been engaged in a safe and dignified transportation of refugees from the reception center to the transit center as well as from the transit center to Hilawyen and Buramino refugee camps. 

Meanwhile, IOM medical team is also performing pre-embarkation medical checks for all assisted movements to secure safe travel of refugees.

IOM staff on the ground says “Transporting people and taking them to areas where they have proper access to life-saving assistance, is as essential aspect of the humanitarian response as ensuring that people have shelter, food, water and sanitation,” says Jeff Labovitz, IOM’s Special Coordinator for the Horn of Africa crisis after visiting the site. “For those people IOM is helping, particularly those too weak to move, this is clearly evident.”

IOM’s transport assistance is also reunifying families divided by the drought and conflict in Somalia. The family reunification cases include the assistance given to refugees between camps and those who recently released from health facilities after getting treatments.