Djibouti faces overlapping emergencies as thousands cross the Red Sea

The United Nations International Organization for Migration warned on October 6, 2026, that Djibouti is facing overlapping emergencies due to movements across the Red Sea. Alexandre Coissac, the agency mission head in Djibouti, stated during a Geneva video link briefing that over 3,700 refugees have arrived in the Horn of Africa country from Yemen within three weeks. UN News reported that refugees are fleeing conflict in Yemen while migrants travel in the opposite direction. [1]

EthiopiaToday reported that over 20,000 Ethiopian migrants have crossed into Djibouti as the conflict in Yemen fuels a wider migration crisis in the Horn of Africa. Meanwhile, humanitarian situation details led Japan to step in with assistance. ANews, nippon.com, Arab News, and Zawya all reported that Japan will grant 10 million dollars in emergency humanitarian aid to Djibouti and Yemen in response to the deteriorating crisis. [2][3][4][5][6]

The ongoing civil war in Yemen erupted in 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of parts of the nation. In 2026, surrounding nations initiated regional military mobilizations to protect maritime trade and secure their borders across the Red Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Arabian Sea during broader conflicts involving United States and Israeli strikes on Iran. [7][10]