Somalis Fleeing Yemen Conflict Supported to Scale-Up Fishing Businesses

Somalia - With the ongoing conflict in Yemen, Somalis are returning home by the hundreds. To assist returning Somalis to better reintegrate and to promote peaceful coexistence between the returnees and their host communities, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) donated fishing equipment and boats to local fishing cooperatives in Mogadishu. Three small-size fishing cooperatives comprising 64 members (all males) benefitted from this donation, which was made possible with generous support from the United States of America’s Department of State. The cooperatives are made up of three categories of people with varied vulnerabilities: Somali returnees from Yemen, members of host communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

On 16 December 2017, representatives from the three categories attended a handover ceremony in Mogadishu where they received fishing equipment consisting of fiberglass boats, outboard motors, lifejackets, hooks, fishing traps, tremaro fishing nets, gillnet fishing ropes, sinkers, floats, artificial bait, fishing nets, buoys and fishing lines. 

According to Mohamen Osman, the Chairperson of one of the Cooperatives: “We shared the limited fishing gear we had with our brothers who returned from Yemen. Through our interaction, we got to realize how good they were at fishing. As a result of this donation, we now have more equipment at our disposal. This is exactly what we needed to improve the capacity our fishing businesses.”

Iimaan Maxamed Cabdi, a Somali returning from Yemen, noted: “Being part of a fishing cooperative revived my hope in continuing the fishing business I had in Yemen. The limited resources at our disposal was a great challenge, which is why I am so grateful to IOM for this donation, which comes at a time when we were in great need.”

Cabdi Maxamed Cisman, the deputy chairperson of one of the cooperatives, is also a Somali returnee from Yemen. He said: “I am overwhelmed with joy. The burden of the local fishermen has been reduced, and we are now more confident that our fishing businesses are going to continue to thrive.”

On their end, representatives from the host community expressed gratitude for the donation. Speaking on their behalf, Said Ahmed Mohamoud Abdi said: “We now have the capacity to increase our income."

For more information please contact Yuko Tomita, IOM Somalia, Tel: + 254 715 990 600, Email: iomsomaliapsu@iom.int