The Eastern Migration Route: from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia

The Eastern Migration Route is one of the main migration routes globally, running from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia. It is among the busiest maritime migration routes; reports on 2019 movements indicate an average of 11,500 people boarding every month, with 63% of the migratory movement tracked in the Horn of Africa region.

Between 2017 and early 2020, at least 400,000 Ethiopians reached the Arabian Peninsula through this road. Despite the high risks associated with irregular migration, Ethiopians still find Saudi Arabia an escape from dire living conditions because employment opportunities are available there.