Photo Credit: Refugees International
04/10/2008

Yemen is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking 153rd in the Human Development Index. In the north of the country, a localized conflict has displaced tens of thousands of civilians since 2004. In the past few years the arrival of large numbers of Ethiopian and Somali migrants and asylum seekers has further jeopardized the economy and stability of the country. A country of geo-strategic importance, linking the Middle East with the Horn of Africa, Yemen shoulders a heavy burden which the international community and UN agencies should do more to alleviate, for both humanitarian and security reasons. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in particular must gear up its operations and identify and support durable solutions.