Al-Kathiri Discusses with IOM Director Refugees and Unlicensed Immigrants Issues

Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Chairman of the National Assembly, received today, Wednesday, Mr. Muhannad Al-Rubaie, the newly appointed Director of the Office of the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), in the capital, Aden.

The meeting was devoted to discussing the issues and problems of refugees, unlicensed immigrants, and internal displacement, the economic and service burdens resulting from such phenomena, their negative repercussions on the lives of citizens in the governorates of the South, and the security risks that have recently emerged through the chaos and ethnic confrontations that broke out among Ethiopian immigrants in the capital, Aden.

The meeting reviewed possible solutions to reduce unlicensed immigration, which has reached unprecedented numbers this year, and the voluntary return procedures adopted by the IOM through official channels as per international and local jurisdiction.

The meeting also discussed aspects of joint cooperation between the National Assembly of the STC and the IOM, ways to strengthen the coordination mechanism, and the possibility of the Council’s participation in the solutions provided by the organization to the problem of unlicensed immigration.

The Chairman of the Assembly stressed the need to shed light on the situation in the South to address the dire humanitarian crisis that the people are experiencing due to the deteriorating economic and service conditions and the role of the UN and international organizations to contribute in this aspect.

For his part, Mr. Muhannad Al-Rubaie extended his thanks to the leadership of the STC and the National Assembly for the good reception and for all that is provided to international organizations to facilitate their work tasks, briefly reviewing the work activity of the organization, the projects and programs that have been implemented over the past period, the programs that are currently going to be implemented, and its future work plans.

The Director of the Office of the IOM affirmed the organization's keenness to continue communication with the STC to coordinate efforts between the two sides and work jointly to crystallize and address all issues.