In the framework of the Task Force on COVID-19 and the Impact on Migration/Mobility that IOM co-convenes, with ILO, ESCWA and WHO, a meeting was held on the Impact of COVID-19 on Migrants and Refugees in the Arab Region. The meeting focused on several issues, including health, access to services, and income security, and presented key policy recommendations to address those issues.

IOM Kuwait collaborates with Academia for the Film Festival. As part of the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF), IOM organised a virtual screening of ‘Women’s Country’ which was followed by a discussion on "Films for social change: how can the arts change social perceptions?" led by panelists from the Kuwait University, the American University of Kuwait and Manshoor, a local production house. 

Acknowledging the particularly crucial role that civil society organisations (CSOs) and other non-government stakeholders, such as academia and media are playing in support of vulnerable migrant communities, the UN Network on Migration in Kuwait facilitated a national dialogue to identify and potentially collaborate on main thematic challenges for 2021, especially in light of the ongoing health and consequential economic crisis.

Effective January 2021, the Middle East Response (MER) grant implemented by IOM, in partnership with The Global Fund, will add 10 million Euros specifically for Jordan through a debt swap agreement between the Governments of Jordan, Germany and The Global Fund.

 The debt cancelled by the Government of Germany has been reassigned to support the Jordan Health Fund for Refugees as well as HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis activities in Jordan through the MER. The MER initiative provides essential HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services to key and vulnerable populations including refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants, women, children and other conflict-affected populations in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine and Yemen.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, IOM engaged a “special voluntary return” flight to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire supporting the voluntary return of 82 beneficiaries, as well as special repatriation flights to Cameroon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe so that these 49 beneficiaries could return home after months of being stranded in Algeria.

IOM has registered over 4,000 VHR applicants since October in Aden. Following the nationality verification conducted by Ethiopian officials for 1,160 Ethiopians, the GoE is working on the issuance of travel documents to be sent to Yemen. Once these documents are received, IOM will proceed with necessary arrangements and process the VHR movements. Further discussions are ongoing with GoE and IOM Ethiopia on post-arrival arrangements, including reception and quarantine facilities. Meanwhile, IOM continues the provision of cash for work, food vouchers and emergency assistance to migrants awaiting return.