33,000 Ethiopians are repatriated over six months: spokesman

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday that during the last six months, the Ethiopian government has returned over 33,000 citizens who were living in appalling conditions in several foreign nations.

The Ethiopian government’s “citizen-centered” diplomatic commitment to repatriating its citizens who are stuck in difficult situations overseas is part of the ongoing large-scale repatriation effort, according to ministry spokesperson Nebiat Getachew, according to state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.

According to Getachew, the returning people had been “facing dire circumstances in various countries” for the first half of the August 8 commencement of the current Ethiopian fiscal year 2024/2025.

According to the spokesman, 380 Ethiopian residents in Myanmar have been found to be in extremely dangerous situations, making this an especially alarming occurrence. Illegal brokers who promised them jobs in Southeast Asia deceived these folks. They were sent to unapproved camps in regions that border Thailand and Myanmar, where there are reports of dire circumstances.

Before being returned to Ethiopia, he added, some 34 citizens were rescued from their “abductors” and sent to safety in Thailand as part of the government’s efforts. Recognizing that the rescue of the kidnapped citizens “requires a lot of effort,” Getachew stated that the ministry has assigned its diplomatic missions in New Delhi, India, and Tokyo, Japan, to support the continuing endeavours.

Getachew stressed that several initiatives are being carried out at the moment to return the trapped citizens to their homes. However, because the areas where these people are believed to be residing are not well-governed, the repatriation operations have been made more difficult.

He further emphasized how the problem is connected to human trafficking networks and has worldwide criminal components. Ethiopia is working to address the issue alongside the governments of Myanmar and other impacted countries.

Ethiopia has stepped up attempts to repatriate its people who are stuck abroad, especially in the Middle East, in recent years. A sizable portion of those who have returned are unauthorized migrants who were struggling in Saudi Arabia. As regional instability increased, the administration also recently returned 164 people from Beirut, Lebanon.

In addition to repatriation, Ethiopia is concentrating on preventative actions, such as breaking up networks of human trafficking and expanding economic prospects at home. Many Ethiopians with poor incomes move illegally in search of better living circumstances elsewhere.