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Ailing migrant dies as IOM supports 13 stranded travellers along Cote d’Ivoire –Ghana border
13 migrants stranded along Cote d’Ivoire –Ghana border have received support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
One of the stranded migrants who was I’ll died in the classroom in Noé.
“Travel hassles basically come with the territory for sojourners across West Africa. But what the 13 men and women experienced these recent weeks may set a new standard for delay,” a statement by IOM said, adding:”Because of the COVID-19 lockdown, the plight of these travelers became a concern for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) which has assisted thousands of migrants stranded in Africa since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their story starts in the streets of Noé, a small town located in Côte d’Ivoire near that country’s border with Ghana.
“There, 13 vulnerable migrants originating from Liberia, Ghana and Sierra Leone were forced to spend more than a month seeking makeshift shelter, as well as food and medical attention after authorities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire closed their respective borders to travellers.”
The migrants, including four women and nine men, according to the IOM had been stranded in Côte d’Ivoire since 22 March. Among the stranded migrants were bus drivers who work shuttling passengers between Liberia and Ghana, who now found themselves unable to move. Others among the stranded were traders seeking to enter Côte d’Ivoire for commerce.
“At first, the stranded migrants slept at the border station, although a few found temporary lodging at a small hotel. IOM became aware of their plight on 15 April, nearly four weeks after the border closure, and persuaded authorities in Noé to repurpose two schoolrooms—also shuttered in response to the pandemic—to safely house the men and women.
“On Saturday, 9 May, IOM provided food, hygiene products and other essential items to the stranded travellers. IOM also began registering those willing to return to their country of origin. Unfortunately, later that same day, one man who was already ill—but not with the coronavirus– died in the classroom in Noé.
“IOM relied for this aid on the support of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, in collaboration with regional authorities and social services agencies.
To support the Ivoirian government’s COVID-19 response, IOM donated on Monday (11/05) health equipment, including thermometers, masks and hydroalcoholic solution, to improve the working conditions of frontline workers at ten land points of entry (POEs).”
Marina Schramm, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Côte d’Ivoire said:” Côte d’Ivoire has kept its borders open to ensure transportation of goods, which is vital to the country and region’s economy, but like in many other countries, borders are closed to travelers.
“It is therefore crucial that agents in charge of registration at entries and exits points are trained and equipped to be able to identify and respond effectively to health risks.”
As of 11 May, more than 1,600 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d’Ivoire.
The closure of border posts has a heavy impact on the border communities’ economic activities. The provision of training and equipment will enable border officials to conduct their activities safely and reopen the border posts quickly, as well as prevent and detect possible COVID-19 cases.
During the month of May, border officials will be trained in how to use the equipment, as well as in the registration at crossing points and referral of suspected cases by IOM and local partners.
Border officials, as frontline workers in the COVID-19 response, will also be provided with registration forms that will allow for the development of a mobility profile at the different POEs. In the longer term, the equipment and training for border officials will help ensure a smooth transition towards the reopening – even partial – of Côte d’Ivoire’s borders.
This training activity is part of the project, “Enhance the capacity of Côte d’Ivoire’s authorities to Comprehensively Address Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling – COCOTIP” funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Over 140 migrants perish in deadliest shipwreck of the year
A group of suspected migrants are brought to shore by Border Force officers at the Port of Dover in Kent after a number of small boat incidents in the Channel in September. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
At least 140 people have drowned after a vessel carrying around 200 migrants sank off the Senegalese coast, the deadliest shipwreck recorded in 2020.
According to media sources, the Senegalese and Spanish navies, and fishermen who were nearby, rescued 59 people and retrieved the remains of 20 others.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is deeply saddened by this recent tragedy, which follows four shipwrecks recorded in the Central Mediterranean last week and another in the English Channel.
“We call for unity between governments, partners and the international community to dismantle trafficking and smuggling networks that take advantage of desperate youth,” said Bakary Doumbia, IOM Senegal Chief of Mission.
“It is also important that we advocate for enhanced legal channels to undermine the traffickers’ business model and prevent loss of life.”
Local community members told IOM the vessel left Mbour, a coastal town in western Senegal on Saturday (24/10) bound for the Canary Islands. The boat caught fire a few hours after departure and capsized near Saint-Louis, on Senegal’s northwest coast.
The Government of Senegal and IOM have arranged a mission to travel to Saint-Louis to assess the needs of survivors and provide immediate psychosocial assistance.
The number of departures from West Africa to the Canary Islands has significantly increased in recent weeks.
IOM Senegal has been monitoring departures from the coast with the assistance of members of the community since the beginning of September. In September alone, 14 boats carrying 663 migrants left Senegal for the Canary Islands. Of these departures, 26 per cent were reported to have experienced an incident or shipwreck.
IOM estimates there have been roughly 11,000 arrivals to the Canary Islands this year compared to 2,557 arrivals during the same period last year. This is still far below peaks seen in 2006 when over 32,000 people arrived.
With this tragic shipwreck, at least 414 people are known to have died along this route in 2020 according to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, which recorded 210 fatalities there in all of 2019.
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Displaced Yemen children at risk of the deadly impacts of severe food insecurity
The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Malnutrition analysis released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other partners is extremely concerning. With limited access to food, humanitarian services and health care, displaced children in Yemen are at risk of the deadly impacts of severe food insecurity.
Around 26 per cent of the more than 156,000 people newly displaced this year, in the areas where the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has access, cited food as their main need. This is the second most cited need after shelter and housing, which 65 per cent of people reported as their main need. In areas where there are higher levels of displacement, like Al Hudaydah, Taizz, Al Dhale’e and Marib, higher levels of food needs have also been reported.
“Displaced Yemenis leave their homes with nothing and often find themselves seeking safety in locations where there are no job opportunities and barely enough services, including health care,” said Christa Rottensteiner, IOM Chief of Mission for Yemen.
“This can leave vulnerable people without enough food to feed their families. Given that UN partners are reporting that acute malnutrition rates among children under five are the highest ever recorded in parts of Yemen, we are extremely worried about children in displaced families.”
The situation in Marib is particularly concerning given that an escalation in hostilities has displaced over 90,000 people to the city and caused a drastic shortage of services. Displaced people in Marib report food to be one of their most urgent needs. Of the displacement sites assessed by IOM in October, some reported that food shortages were a major concern for approximately 50 per cent of their residents.
In response to food insecurity, the emergency aid kits distributed under the Rapid Response Mechanism by IOM to newly displaced families include emergency food rations. IOM also carries out livelihood support activities for displaced communities to help them generate income. Most recently the Organization supported displaced women in making face masks which help their community combat the spread of COVID-19.
IOM also operates a health centre in Al Jufainah Camp, Yemen’s largest displacement site, and multiple mobile health clinics. In addition to providing primary health care services to over 55 per cent of displaced people in Marib, IOM’s mobile health clinics provide community level access to malnutrition screening for children under the age of five and referral for treatment, in coordination with UNICEF. Given the high demand for such nutritional support, early intervention is vital to reducing avoidable morbidity and mortality among displaced children.
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Nigerians in Spain say no to genocide
Nigerians resident in Spain have kicked against bad governance and brutalitalisation of innocent citizens by security operatives in Nigeria.
They are in solidarity with the #Endsars protesters.
The #Endsars protest started by young Nigerians to say no to brutality, impunity and gruesome killings in the hands of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the government in the country saw security operatives using live bullets on the protesters last week, October 21, 2020.
In a statement signed by Afolabi Oloko, the Nigerians in Spain said: “In every part of the world, including Nigeria, we believe protesting is a fundamental right of all citizenry that we can exercise whenever we deem it fit as long as it is civil and devoid of violence but such is not the case in Nigeria where the young future of the country are murdered by their very own government just because they made demands that there must be a reform to the notorious Police department and that the country be reformed in general. Have they asked for too much from a responsible and responsive government?
“It is so disheartening that after Ten days that the youth refused to back down they resorted to killing, maiming of their own future generations just because they asked and begged for good governance and good policing. It’s a shame that young people are being killed all around the cities of Nigeria from Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Abuja, Ondo , Benin, Porthacort just to mention a few. It was horrendous seeing over seventy people being murdered at night while still protesting unarmed peacefully in Lekki area of Lagos state. They organised by switching off the street light while they carried out their evil deed against defenceless young people of the country and also took away the CCTV. The commander-in-chief of the Armed forces in person of President Muhamodu Buhari must be tried at the International court for genocide against it’s own people.
“We the compatriots far away in Spain are with our young brothers and sister on the streets saying no to bad governance as you’re in our hearts and prayers. We support you in the just cause you’re are fighting. Fighting for one’s future should not be seen as an affront to the authorities, rather they should look inward and realise that the system is rotten and should be cleansed but not killing innocent young men on the streets with Army being deployed to take lives of vibrant and resourceful, frustrated and change hungry citizens.
“Today, we came out in multitude in solidarity with our compatriots back home to say #ENDSARS! #ENDBADGOVERNANCE #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY #ENDCORUPTION #ENDTHEGENOCIDE”
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