Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: November 25 (EI) – The Ethiopian government on Saturday disclosed ongoing efforts to repatriate some 103 Ethiopian nationals from war-torn Yemen.
The statement was made by the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which announced that “preparations are underway” to repatriate Ethiopians from war-torn Yemen – a country desperate Ethiopian nationals apply en route to major middle eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia.
Nebiat Getachew, Spokesperson at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told local media outlets over the weekend that repatriation efforts are underway in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) so as to return some 103 Ethiopian nationals home from the troubled Red Sea nation Yemen.
Estimates suggest that thousands of Ethiopians trafficked every year hoping to reach the Arabian Peninsula, via Djibouti and Yemen, looking for better economic opportunities in major Middle Eastern countries’ informal job markets, mainly with an aim to find informal jobs in Yemen’s northern neighbor Saudi Arabia.
The UN migration agency, which repatriated 222 illegal Ethiopian migrants from Yemen in May this year, said that “despite the ongoing conflict in Yemen, migrants seeking economic opportunities in Gulf countries continue to make the treacherous journey by land and sea to the Arabian Peninsula.”
“All along the route, migrants face many challenges in accessing protection and assistance. IOM is committed to supporting Yemen and the region in managing migration in a sustainable and humane way,” IOM said in a statement in May this year.
