Ethiopia has announced a decision to repatriate all compatriots stranded in detention centers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an official has said.
Spokesperson of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dina Mufti Thursday said preparation has been finalized to repatriate all compatriots from the Kingdom in two weeks time.
More than 100,000 illegal Ethiopian migrants are believed to have lived in the Kingdom down from more than 400,000 in 2017.
Currently, thousands of Ethiopian migrants reportedly are held in the Kingdom’s detention centers with deplorable facilities. Last year, Ethiopian nationals in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, told Human Rights Watch that thousands of foreign workers were being held in makeshift detention facilities without adequate food and shelter, before being deported
Mufti said a delegation is conferring with relevant Saudi Arabian officials regarding the protection of the rights of Ethiopian citizens in the country and further facilitate the repatriation process.
The discussion between the Ethiopian and Saudi Arabian officials will review the achievements and challenges of repatriation of illegal migrants who are willing to return home based on their consent.
The close cooperation between the two nations, in this regard, has enabled tens of thousands of Ethiopians to return home safely and in a dignified way, despite the challenges posed by the COVID 19 pandemic.
MG/abj/APA