Ethiopia to repatriate 70,000 citizens from Saudi Arabia following human rights concerns
Ethiopia is gearing up for the third phase of repatriating approximately 70,000 of its citizens from Saudi Arabia, as announced by the Ethiopian foreign ministry. The decision comes as these individuals find themselves in dire circumstances within the Gulf country.
According to Ethiopian authorities, the citizens slated for repatriation are facing significant challenges in Saudi Arabia. The repatriation process is scheduled to commence within two weeks, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Saudi Arabia recently issued a directive for foreign workers residing in the country without legal documentation to depart or risk facing imprisonment.
This directive has particularly affected Ethiopian nationals, who constitute a substantial portion of the foreign population in Saudi Arabia, estimated at 750,000 by the UN migration agency IOM. Alarmingly, more than half of these Ethiopians are believed to be residing in the country irregularly.
Among the Ethiopian population in Saudi Arabia are individuals seeking employment opportunities, as well as refugees fleeing conflict and instability in the Horn of Africa region.
However, reports from human rights organizations have shed light on the plight of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia, detailing instances of rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has disclosed that Saudi Arabia has repatriated over 350,000 Ethiopians since 2017. Despite these efforts, concerns persist regarding the treatment and welfare of Ethiopian migrants in the Gulf state.
