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Start date: 2023Subject: search.filters.subject.administrative collapse

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    Irregular Migration Dynamics in Raya Alamata, Northern Ethiopia: Exploring the Patterns, Determinants, and Emerging Risks in Migration to the Gulf Countries
    (Mekelle University, 2025-08-25) Nigus Molla Woldie
    Irregular migration from northern Ethiopia, particularly from Raya Alamata to Gulf countries, has grown significantly in recent years, shaped by intertwined socioeconomic, political, environmental, and social factors. This study investigates the patterns, determinants, emerging risks, and routes of irregular migration using a mixed-methods design. Data were collected through a field survey of 204 respondents, complemented by key informant interviews with returnees and their families, and focus group discussions with local elders and returnees. The findings reveal that economic pressures are the strongest drivers, with poverty (91.7%) and unemployment (84.3%) cited as primary motivators, alongside low agricultural productivity (75%), limited farmland (72.5%), and poor access to credit (63.7%). Political instability, particularly linked to the Tigray conflict, was reported by 95.1% of respondents as a key push factor. Environmental stressors such as land degradation, unreliable rainfall, and weak irrigation infrastructure (71.4%) affect nearly 88% of migrants, reinforcing the emergence of “migration-prone” landscapes. Social networks also play a crucial role: family pressure (66.2%) and connections abroad (53.2%) normalize migration as a networked household strategy. While migration provides important benefits, including remittances (35.8%), improved household living standards (33.3%), asset acquisition (27%), and skill development (6.9%), it exposes migrants to severe risks. These include exploitation (59.3%), unsafe journeys (52%), physical and sexual abuse (48% and 59.3% respectively for women), and legal precarity (36.3%). Migration routes remain perilous, encompassing desert crossings, sea voyages lasting 18–72 hours, and dependence on smugglers who often subject migrants to torture, starvation, and extortion. Three main routes such as via Djibouti, Somalia, and hybrid pathways, were identified, each marked by unique hazards, interception risks, and unpredictable travel durations. The study documents a 93% increase in irregular migration over the past five years, disproportionately affecting youth (97.1%) and women (99.4%), particularly in conflict-affected communities. Coping strategies rely heavily on informal peer networks, with limited humanitarian support. These insights underscore the urgency of comprehensive interventions, including legal migration pathways, protection mechanisms, dismantling of smuggling networks, and stronger institutional support in transit zones. By situating irregular migration within broader socioeconomic and political contexts, this study highlights critical implications for migration governance in Ethiopia and across the Gulf corridor.