A Paradox in the Desert: The Impacts of Internal Displacement in Marib City

A Paradox in the Desert: The Impacts of Internal Displacement in Marib City POLICY BRIEF A Paradox in the Desert: The Impacts of Internal Displacement in Marib City By: Yusef Yakubi June 01, 2023 A Paradox in the Desert: The Impacts of Internal Displacement in Marib City By: Yusef Yakubi June 01, 2023 Cover photo: Marib city on November 13, 2021 // Sana’a Center photo by Abdulmajeed Al-Khadhmi. [...] Paradoxically, the mass migration to Marib during the conflict has also increased the amount of human and capital assets available to residents in the city, making it more prosperous and a significant center of development and investment in Yemen. [...] A PARADOX IN THE DESERT: THE IMPACTS OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN MARIB CITY Methodology The policy brief is guided by a review of existing research and reporting published on Yemen, Marib governorate, and Marib city, in addition to key informant interviews and discussions with subject-matter experts in the governorate. [...] Of the more than 2.2 million displaced persons in the governorate, 13 percent live in the governorate’s 197 IDP camps, while the remaining 87 percent chose to reside alongside the host community, mainly in Marib city and along the outskirts of the city.[5] Moreover, data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Marib IDP Intentions Survey shows that most migrants are there to stay. [...] As such, the following recommendations were developed based on discussions with local experts in the governorate: To the Local Authorities: • Establish a mechanism, with the help of the Land, Area, and Urban Planning Authority (LAUPA), to assess which areas of Marib governorate are suitable for urban planning and expansion, and then discuss proposals to sell or donate the land with private landown.