The International Organisation for Migration says it has only received Sh260 million ($2 million) from well-wishers out of the total funds required to support migrants.
This is two months since the organisation appealed for the funds it said is to provide humanitarian assistance to over one million vulnerable women and children on the ‘Eastern Route’.
The ‘Eastern Route’ is one of the most dangerous and complex human migratory routes in Africa and the world.
The route stretches from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and the Gulf nations.
While re-appealing for a donation of Sh7.5 billion ($58.5), IOM deputy regional director Justin MacDermott said the migrants face extreme life-threatening dangers including starvation, hunger and dehydration.
"Today, we convene you because the Eastern Route is grossly underfunded beyond levels experienced in previous years as donors are yet to come through with funding for the 2023 appeal and there has been a deprioritisation of the Eastern Route by other donors,” MacDermott said.
He spoke when he met donors from US, EU, the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Italy, Belgium, Japan and the Netherlands in Nairobi.
In February, IOM and 47 humanitarian and development partners appealed for Sh10.9 billion ($84.2 million).
Hundreds of thousands of people primarily from Ethiopia and Somalia travel via the Eastern Route each year in the hope of reaching the Gulf countries to find work.
They are often targeted by human smugglers and traffickers and can face kidnap, arbitrary arrest, detention and forced recruitment into warring groups, particularly in Yemen.
In 2022, the number of female migrants on the route rose to 106,700, as that of children climbing to 14,900, double the figures from the previous year.
“These numbers are higher than the number of migrants arriving from the whole of the African continent along the Central, Eastern and Western Mediterranean and Atlantic Routes combined,” IOM reports show.
The lack of funding is also resulting in a severe cut in access to humanitarian assistance and protection for migrants, including help provided in Migrant Response Centres along the route.
The funds are to be used to provide immediate and short-term support, direct assistance through shelter, counselling support and medical care.
Lack of funding also results in reduced access to assistance when migrants arrive home, which includes onwards travel through post arrival and reception support.
Every year, thousands of migrants give up on the hope of reaching the Gulf and want to return home through IOM supported Voluntary Return.
Ethiopia, where most migrants on the ‘Eastern Route’ originate from is one of the countries most impacted by the lack of funding.
"Funding challenges are endangering support for Ethiopian migrants returning from the Eastern Route. Urgent action is needed to address limited resources for shelter, reintegration, and basic needs. IOM needs increased funding to ensure wellbeing and sustainable solutions for Ethiopian migrants," Pekka Marjamaki, Ethiopia’s IOM Programme Officer said.
Djibouti, which is the main country of transit for migrants trying to reach the Gulf and trying to return home is also being negatively affected by the funding crisis for migrants on the ‘Eastern Route’.
Every month tens of thousands transit through Djibouti along the route.
"Insufficient funding is having severe consequences, including increased fatalities, continued political pressure, and potential strain on neighbouring countries,” - Tanja Pacifico, Chief of Mission IOM Djibouti said.
Humanitarian responses to the needs of migrants from Somalia are also being impacted.
The recent outbreak of conflict in neighbouring Sudan is also adding to needs of migrants in the region, in Ethiopia.
Over 12,000 people from Sudan have arrived from across the border, daily arrivals were recorded as 1,000 by IOM Ethiopia since the start of the violence.