IOM to cover needs of Yemenis, secure their return from Jordan — Yemen minister

AMMAN — Sanaa has arranged with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to address the needs of Yemenis in Jordan until they return to their country, according to a senior official.

In an interview with The Jordan Times on Thursday, Yemeni Transport Minister Bader Basalma said his government is working to improve the condition of Yemenis stuck in other countries, including Jordan, and is looking into securing their safe return.

“IOM will be the authority to handle the issues of Yemenis in Jordan,” he said, adding that the Yemeni embassy in Amman and Yemenia Airways will submit the contact information of registered Yemenis to the organisation.

The minister added that IOM will address Yemenis’ accommodation and everyday living needs on a priority-based approach. 

IOM will transport them back to their country and fly out foreigners who are currently in Yemen, but the flight schedule is slow these days, Basalma said.

In coordination with Yemenia Airways, the King Salman Centre for Humanitarian Aid will transport Yemenis from Egypt, Jordan and India to Najran and Jizan in Saudi Arabia, and from there to Yemen. 

Another alternative under study with IOM is to transport passengers to Djibouti by air, and ferry them to Yemen’s Hudaydah seaport,
the official said.

“All these alternatives were agreed upon and the needed resources were allocated. We are currently preparing the executive programme for the plans with IOM and expect to have it ready within two days,” Basalma added.  

Voicing hope that the ongoing ceasefire will allow the implementation of the plan, he expected the process of transporting all Yemenis to take up to two weeks if the political and security situation in Yemen does not deteriorate. 

At a meeting with the minister following the interview, Yemenis aired their grievances, mainly their financial situation and the feeling that the Yemeni government is “not doing enough” to resolve the issue, which has led many of them to work individually to help compatriots in need.

Fatimah Arishi, the founder of an initiative to help stranded Yemenis in need, said some of her compatriots are not allowed to leave hospitals where they received medical treatment due to their inability to pay the bill.

Another Yemeni called for making the list of registered Yemenis waiting to return accessible to all of them to ensure transparency and to enable each to know his/her turn.  

Responding to the demands, Basalma called for creating a committee representing Yemenis in Jordan that coordinates with IOM, pledging that the government will cover hospital bills for underprivileged Yemenis receiving treatment in the Kingdom.

He added that coordination is under way with Omani authorities to issue entry visas to Yemenis so they can fly home from Salalah Airport.

Since the intensity of the turmoil in Yemen increased in March, 717 out of some 2,100 Yemenis stuck in Jordan were airlifted to Yemen, Yemenia Airways area manager Hatem Shaabi told The Jordan Times. 

There are currently around 1,700 Yemenis in Jordan.