Somalia Facilitates Return of 230 Nationals in 5-day Repatriation Effort

MOGADISHU, Xinhua: The Somali government has ramped up its efforts to repatriate nationals from foreign African countries, successfully facilitating the return of 230 citizens who were stranded or detained over the past five days.

This repatriation process, supported by the United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), took place in Libya, Madagascar, and Sudan.

On Dec. 5, 161 Somali nationals returned from Libya, while 47 survivors of a boat disaster were brought back from Madagascar on Saturday. On Monday, 22 Somali nationals who had been detained in Sudan for attempting irregular migration were repatriated to Somalia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed Moallim Fiqi called the successful repatriations a significant milestone in addressing the challenges of irregular migration and ensuring the safety of Somali nationals abroad.

“This operation highlights Somalia’s unwavering commitment to its citizens and to addressing migration challenges through cooperation with our international partners,” the minister said in a statement released on Thursday when the citizens returned from Libya.

The repatriation efforts, funded by the European Union and implemented by the IOM, saw most of the returnees from Libya on the Dec. 5 charter flight as young men and women under the age of 30 who had been stranded in the country for several months.

The survivors of the Madagascar boat tragedy, aged between 17 and 50, expressed immense relief at returning to safety. The foreign ministry said the survivors of the early November boat tragedy, which claimed 28 lives in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar, shared harrowing accounts of their ordeal.

On Monday, the minister also announced the successful repatriation of 22 Somali citizens who had been detained in Sudan’s Dongola and Gadaref detention facilities for three months.

All the 22 individuals arrived safely in Mogadishu, marking another milestone in the ministry’s efforts to protect the rights and dignity of Somali citizens abroad and combat human trafficking, Figi said.

Every year, hundreds of Somali migrants embark on perilous journeys along the Northern Mediterranean route, passing through multiple countries with hopes of reaching Europe, the IOM said.

According to the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix report published in July, more than 1,500 Somali migrants were stranded in Libya, where many face dangerous and precarious conditions.

Insecurity, lack of food, shelter, and healthcare in Libya expose these migrants to significant risks, the IOM said, noting that thousands urgently require protection and humanitarian assistance.