The voluntary return process continued throughout 2018. UNHCR, with the support of partners such as INTERSOS, MERCY-CORPS, ARC, MORDA, NCRI and DRC, has assisted returnees from various countries of asylum (CoA) via designated way stations in South-Central, Somaliland.
In 2018, UNHCR received and assisted some 10,750 Somali returnees. Out of the total 7,543 were received from Kenya (mainly from Dadaab), 2,591 were Assisted Spontaneous Return-Asylum-Seekers from Yemen, and 619 were from other countries. Kismayo received the highest number of returnees: 5,119 (47.7%), Mogadishu: 3,943 (36.6%) with other locations including Somaliland and Puntland scoping 1691 (15.7%). The number of returnees decreased from 2017, with the same reasons given as the easing of pressure to repatriate by the Government of Kenya, continued insecurity in some areas of return like Middle Juba and the interrupted road convoys during the rainy season.
Repatriated refugees arriving in their country of origin received return assistant package including core relief items, one time reinstallation grant, 6 months subsistence allowance and mobile phones with SIM cards.
In November 2018, a return intention survey was conducted in Hargeisa with a smaller sample size of 253 interviews were conducted with one representative from each household. Out of 253 respondents, 16% (42 cases) reported that they are willing to go back to Ethiopia while 77% (197 cases) reported that they are not willing to return.