PM Omar meets with Yemeni refugees in Puntland

Somalia Prime Minister has for the first time met with Yemeni refugees in Puntland and has addressed them in a public meeting organized by Puntland authorities in Qardo town, south of Bosaso.

The PM had the opportunity to listen to their stories of survival in Yemen in the face of wars and their subsequent voyage across the red sea to flee from the war.

PM Omar said in a brief that Government of Somalia would send officials to assess the situation and coordinate humanitarian assistance to them.

“Somalia and Yemen are brotherly countries, we have very close relationship , we ask God to help ease the situation there, I can tell you that we would soon send officials from the National Refugee Council here, I would also call the international aid organizations to help this people” said the PM.

There are about some 400 Yemeni refugees in Qardo alone, housed temporarily at East African University campus there.

Somalia ‘Save heaven’

Hundreds of refugees from Yemen have been arriving in Somalia shores since the break of Yemen war and the airstrikes by Saudi led coalition.

Though it’s not the ideal place to seek asylum, the close proximity between the two countries and the fact that Somalia has achieved a great deal of stability made Somalia the first choice for these fleeing Yemeni refugees.

For 25 years Somalis has been fleeing to Yemen in a perilous journey across the red sea, and settled there in refugee camps. Now the migration is the opposite direction as thousands of Somalis and Yemenis arriving in Somalia every month as situation in Yemen gets worse.

Goobjoog News