The East African Migration Crisis and Security Implications
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Recently the world saw yet another boat of migrants sinking
off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. The most recent of these events was
on June 10th, where a boat carrying 260 people, mostly comprised of
migrants from Ethiopia and Somalia sunk. Of the 260 people 49 died, 71 were
rescued and the remaining 140 are missing.[1]
These migrants attempted to sail from the coast of East Africa to Yemen, open
seas that span 200 miles between the two points, that are dangerous waters for
small craft especially. This incident is one of many that has have occurred of
the East African coast, and one of even more spanning North Africa. In April,
two other shipwrecks also occurred off the coast of Djibouti. To this point the
pattern has been made, these migrants will not cease even though, according to
the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), 1,860 people
have died or disappeared attempting this route, including 480 who have drowned.[2]
The ultimate question is why? Additionally, what does these migrants hope for
once they have reached Yemen, another notably violent location? Finally, what
can be done about this situation? These questions are the point of this
discussion to identify this unfortunate reality and describe potential
solutions.
East African countries for the last few
decades have faced significant security issues such as wars within Sudan,
conflict between Sudan and the newly developed South Sudan in 2011, not to
mention the current conflict within Sudan. Furthermore, Ethiopia has also seen
its fair share of conflict internally while also surrounded by Somalia that has
faced off against Al-Shabaab for decades. Finally, each East African nation to
also include Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, and Eritrea have also seen different
instances of political corruption, difficulties with infrastructure and
conflict bleeding in from other neighboring nations. These are the situations
that Africans are facing, forcing them to seek a better life since in their own
countries and surrounding countries, the quality of life is so turbulent and
violent, that these Africans chose to migrate. For these migrants instead of
fleeing through other East African nations that only then lead to the
sub-Saharan conflicts or the jungles of Central Africa that also face similar
issues of corruption and violence, the last option is to attempt to escape to
Arab nations or European nations for those that are lucky enough.
Ultimately this is the “why”, that out
of desperation, these migrants from East Africa, and most recently Ethiopia
seek a better life, jobs and stability. Yemen also faces their own conflict and
issues with terrorism from the Houthi’s, yet once across the Gulf of Aden
migrants hope to use Yemen as a major route to then reach Persian Gulf
countries.[3]
Although, once migrants from Ethiopia and other nations arrive in Yemen, they
face human trafficking, sexual abuse, blackmail, forced labor and even torture.
Those lucky few that can survive through traversing the Gulf of Aden and make
it through Yemen can seek asylum status in some of the other Arab states or if
able they can try to travel to Europe. Overall, this entire crisis is based
around two essential issues to East Africa. First, is the severe lack of jobs
and infrastructure for Africans. Second, being the widespread corruption and
conflict that has plagued the area for years.
There is no single solution, nor best
solution for helping these migrants from Ethiopia and surrounding East African
nations, only “a” solution that may hopefully break the cycle of security
issues in the area. Addressing jobs, one solution is that the United Nations
can call to private industry from around the world to invest in the East
African industrial complex. The continent itself has started to grow population
wise and is projected to continue to rise into 2050 with one of the largest
populations in the world.[4]
This population will be made of up young workers just entering the workforce,
and without adequate amounts of jobs, these Africans will either attempt to
migrate where they can seek out employment, or join violent groups in the area
that only exacerbate the security issues in the region. Another solution could
be to provide a safe way to transport migrants to other countries thus
exporting a willing workforce to other nations that can support or desire new
workers, then educating a young workforce while boosting their own economies.
Finally, another solution could be to empower East African governments through
the globalized international community to support their productive and positive
diplomatic actions that combat corruption in the region. While each of these
solutions is broad in nature, they are goals that can truly support the area
and benefit not just the people that are facing these serious issues daily, but
the support can spread outside of Ethiopia, Sudan and other nations to across
North Africa and beyond.
Overall, to decrease the number of
migrants that are daring to take on risky trips across the Gulf of Aden, there
must be action to break the cycle of security issues within East Africa. Without
any action by the governments in the area or the international community, the
numbers of migrant’s ships that sink and the numbers of migrants that perish on
their escape, will almost certainly continue and very likely increase as the
conflicts continue.
Author Bio:
Brendan Donnelly is a Fellow with the Consortium of
Indo-Pacific Researchers and takes part in the consortium’s podcast series VIP
Vanguard. He has an undergraduate degree in history from Bowling Green
State University, with a double minor in political science and aerospace
leadership. Brendan also has a graduate degree from Angelo State University in
Global Security Studies with a specialization in national security. He has
additionally published academic articles with the Journal for Indo-Pacific
Affairs and has participated in several international security conferences.
Views are personal.
[1]
Al Jazeera, “At least 49 dead, 140 missing in migrant boat sinking off Yemen:
UN”, Al Jazeera, (June 11, 2024), https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/11/dozens-dead-missing-in-migrant-boat-sin-king-off-yemen-un.
[2]
Ibid.
[3]
AP News, “At least 49 die and 140 are missing after migrant boat sinks off
Yemen’s coast, UN agency says”, AP News, (June 11, 2024), https://apnews.com/article/yemen-migrants-boat-183378eae47484aba7be04e1fe0b693a#.
[4]
Goldstone, Jack A. “Africa 2050: Demographic Truth and Consequences” Hoover
Institution (January 14, 2019), https://www.hoover.org/research/africa-2050-demographic-truth-and-consequences.