In 2024, Kenya has witnessed a surge in law enforcement activities targeting human smuggling and trafficking networks. This is notwithstanding joint operations and arrests made by Kenyan officials from the Transnational Organized Crime in 2023.In January 2024, police in Makindu, arrested 47 Ethiopian aliens on transit heading to Mombasa. In February 2024, 90 illegal migrants, including children, were arrested in Loitoktok, traveling from Nairobi to Tarakea town near the Kenya-Tanzania border. In March 2024, 5 Ethiopian miners were arrested at a closed gold mine in Moyale. These incidents raise pertinent questions about the actors and factors facilitating the presence of illegal migrants within Kenya, despite stepped up efforts aimed at curbing these activities along the nation’s borders.
According to both the United Nations Migration Agency and the United States 2023 Trafficking in Persons(TIP) Report, Kenya serves as a crucial transit route for Ethiopian migrants seeking illegal entry into Tanzania, South Africa, and the Middle East[1]. These publications highlight various factors contributing to illegal migration patterns from countries in Eastern Africa, including socio-economic drivers, conflict and climate change. Despite efforts to address these challenges, the government of Ethiopia, as assessed in the TIP 2023 report, has not fully met the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking such as effective border controls. Similarly, Kenya faces similar challenges and is classified as Tier 2 in the report, alongside Ethiopia. Consequently, this commentary will delve into the loopholes exploited by criminal groups, leading to the proliferation of migrant smuggling along the Kenya-Ethiopia border and how to address them.
A 2022 joint study conducted by International Organization for Migration (IOM)-UN Migration and the World Bank showcases a direct correlation between economic shocks and the increased susceptibility of individuals to trafficking, revealing a concerning surge in human trafficking incidents amidst socio-economic challenges[2]. This correlation is particularly evident in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where escalating poverty, exacerbated by conflict and severe drought, has substantially heightened vulnerabilities. Consequently, many individuals are driven to seek illegal opportunities, including unauthorized entry across the Kenya-Ethiopia border through fake documents facilitated by corruption[3]. Exploiting these vulnerabilities, Organized Criminal Groups (OCGs) operating in Moyale town, a hotspot for human trafficking, strategically escalate cross-border human smuggling activities. Compounding these challenges is the limited availability of prospects for young Ethiopians, further enhancing their susceptibility and providing fertile ground for criminal networks to exploit. This strategic exploitation of vulnerabilities by OCGs along the Kenya-Ethiopia border was exemplified in June 2023 when INTERPOL issued a global alert highlighting a surge in human trafficking activities propelled by deceitful schemes[4]. Particularly concerning were the tactics employed by traffickers, including online job scams, which ensnared East African youth into perpetrating cybercrime-enabled financial offenses on a large scale.
Moreover, as emphasized in a 2023 report by the IOM, adverse climatic conditions act as potent amplifiers of the underlying drivers fueling such activities[5]. Despite the heavy rainfall currently being experienced across the HOA[6], it’s essential to recognize that drought remains a significant factor in increasing vulnerability within the region. In this context, the recurrence of drought in the HOA exacerbates an already precarious situation, positioning Ethiopia at the epicenter of drought and conflict. This, in turn, further fosters an environment conducive to the proliferation of human trafficking networks. Families grappling with the harsh realities of survival find themselves increasingly vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers, who prey on their desperation with enticing promises of better opportunities elsewhere. Particularly vulnerable are women and children, who are frequently ensnared into cycles of forced labor, sexual exploitation, or domestic servitude under the guise of employment, education, or marriage prospects. Moreover, along the Kenya-Ethiopia border, the additional layer of conflict exacerbates the challenges. Ethnic and political tensions fuel violence and displacement, uprooting entire communities and leaving countless individuals without homes, families, or support systems. In the ensuing chaos, traffickers operate with impunity, exploiting the vulnerable for profit amidst the breakdown of social structures and the weakening of the rule of law in conflict-ridden areas. As a result, combating human trafficking becomes increasingly intricate, leaving victims without recourse and affording traffickers the opportunity to evade justice.
Addressing the intricate dynamics of migrant smuggling along the Kenya-Ethiopia border, amid shifting landscapes, demands a comprehensive policy approach that tackles both underlying causes and facilitators of these illicit activities. First and foremost, bolstering cross-border cooperation and intelligence-sharing mechanisms between Kenyan and Ethiopian law enforcement agencies is imperative. This collaborative effort should prioritize joint patrols, information exchange, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at disrupting organized criminal trafficking networks operating along the border. Moreover, investing in socioeconomic development programs, particularly in conflict-prone and adverse climate regions like Ethiopia’s Tigray area, is essential. These initiatives should focus on alleviating poverty, generating employment opportunities, and offering alternative livelihoods to communities at risk, thereby reducing their susceptibility to exploitation by traffickers. Furthermore, enhancing legal frameworks and law enforcement endeavors to prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking and migrant smuggling is paramount. This entails bolstering border security measures, enhancing victim identification and assistance mechanisms, and imposing stringent penalties on individuals and entities engaged in these illicit activities.
Additionally, raising awareness and providing education to vulnerable groups about the dangers of irregular migration and human trafficking is crucial. This empowerment enables individuals to safeguard themselves and make informed choices regarding migration. In parallel to these multifaceted policy approaches, addressing corruption within border control agencies and government institutions is fundamental to combatting human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Efforts should therefore be directed towards enhancing integrity of border control operations along the Kenya–Ethiopia border.
Notes
[1] U.S. Department of State Releases the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, 2023
[2] Economic Shocks and Human Trafficking Risks, 2022
[3] Travel Documents Forgery Flagged as Biggest Cross Border Threat
[4] INTERPOL, Human trafficking into the Southern African region, 2021
[5] Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC) in the East and Horn of Africa, 2023
[6] UNHCR alerts as thousands of refugees displaced by heavy rainfall in Africa, The East African, 2024