Asylum and illegal immigration to Yemen: reality and challenges

Abstract

This research examines Yemen, the only country in the Arabian Peninsula that has ratified the 1951 United Nations Convention and its 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees. The research discusses how to define asylum and the difference between a refugee and an illegal immigrant, and the genuine reasons behind the influx of refugees and illegal immigrants to Yemen. The research also deals with the efforts made by the Yemeni government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in providing protection for refugees, asylum seekers, and illegal immigrants. Finally, the research covers the economic, social, and security challenges and difficulties faced by Yemen due to issues of asylum and illegal immigration.