On Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that 75% of regularized migrants in the Dominican Republic, or about 144,000 people (98% of whom are Haitians), have lost their jobs due to measures taken to combat the coronavirus Covid-19 and are in dire need of a livelihood.

Stressing that nearly 140,000 are Haitians who worked in the informal sector and are therefore not covered by the aid granted by the Dominican Government to workers who have lost their jobs.

The IOM estimates that the remaining 25% (some 50,000 regularized Haitians) who worked in the food and domestic services sectors were less affected by the emergency measures.

Josué Gastelbondo Head of Mission of the IOM. in the Dominican Republic said "This largely explains why contingents of people try daily to the Dajabón-Ouanaminthe border to return to their country, given the economic uncertainty and the loss of their sources of income."

In early April, 6,231 Haitian nationals returned to Haiti voluntarily via official border crossing points, according to figures from the Directorate General of Migration.

Given the situation at the border, Josué Gastelbondo recommended strengthening epidemiological controls at crossing points recalling "Today more than ever, the situation in one country has repercussions in the other" stressing that "Voluntary returns massifs are a painful exit for the Haitian population, with no options to improve their living conditions in either of the two countries..."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30349-haiti-social-more-than-1-000-haitians-left-the-dr-voluntarily.html

SL/ HaitiLibre