Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: February 13 (EI) — The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed left here on Thursday to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he is expected to meet with more than 15,000 Ethiopian nationals living in various Middle Eastern countries.
“Ethiopians, who reside in several countries of the Middle East will gather in UAE to discussion with Prime Minister Abiy on how to ensure the safety and rights of Ethiopian national living and working in the Gulf countries,” state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported on Thursday, adding that more than 15,000 Ethiopians residing across the region are set to discuss with the premier on various issues, with particular emphasis to the reform activities that the country has been embarked on during the past two years period.
The Ethiopian nationals who are gathering in UAE are said to comprise from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.
“I believe we will have a fruitful and joyous time with my fellow Ethiopians and Ethiopian origins living in the Middle East as I am heading to the UAE to discuss with them directly on various issues affecting them,” Abiy said in a Twitter post.
Abiy’s visit to the UAE is to be part of the Ethiopian government’s efforts to ensure the safety and rights as well as create conducive situation for Ethiopians living in the Middle Eastern countries, it was noted.
Figures from the Ethiopian government indicate that more than 100,000 Ethiopians have been repatriated home from various foreign countries following the citizen-focused diplomacy that Abiy initiated since he took office in April 2018.
On Wednesday, Nigussu Tilahun, Press Secretariat Head at the Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, told journalists that Ahmed had previously facilitated the return of Ethiopian nationals to home during his previous visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Sudan.
Despite a growing economy and public awareness campaigns on the dangers of human trafficking by the Ethiopian government, it is estimated that thousands of Ethiopians are trafficked to Middle Eastern countries, where they mainly engaged in the informal economy.
Amid ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration, Ethiopia had recently entered into a labor agreement with various destination countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which includes soliciting jobs for skilled applicants. The country had also inked an agreement with Qatar which targeted legible Ethiopians to work in the country, with protection of their rights, according to the ministry.
In addition to imprisonment and various other hurdles, desperate Ethiopian and other East African migrants also often encounter many deadly calamities as they attempt to cross the dangerous Red Sea route hoping to reach the Middle East via war-torn Yemen.
In November this year, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had disclosed the repatriation of more than 33,000 Ethiopian nationals from several foreign countries during the first quarter of the current Ethiopian 2019-2020 fiscal year that started on July 8 as part of the ongoing efforts to curb the illegal migration of Ethiopians.
From the total 33,000 Ethiopian returned home, about 700 were said to be minors, according to figures from MoFA.
