The President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, received the new Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, on Sunday, as part of her official trip to the Horn of Africa.

They discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and address the increasing issue of illegal immigration in the Horn of Africa.

The Director General of IOM, Amy Pope, informed Djibouti TV that the International Organization for Migration is committed to collaborating with Djibouti in the areas of refugee support and the prevention of illegal immigration. She also praised Djibouti for its handling of refugees arriving in the country.

“Our role is to work with the government to make sure that we are helping manage the migration operations, whether it is supporting healthcare for migrants in the desert or working with the government to create a national migration plan; these are our priorities,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General.

“Ultimately, because of its geographical location, Djibouti finds itself right in the middle of the migration movement, and it can help facilitate the safe movement of these migrants,” she added.

Said Nuh Hassan, Djibouti’s Minister of Interior, presented the Director with a report detailing the government’s efforts to manage migration incidents and support refugees living in Djibouti.

The Minister also affirmed that the government of Djibouti pledged its full cooperation to the International Organization for Migration.

The Director of IOM, Amy Pope, is currently touring countries in the Horn of Africa, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti, and engaging with authorities in these nations on how to address the challenges posed by refugees and migrants fleeing their countries illegally, often risking their lives to reach Europe and North America.