The National Disaster and Risk Management Commission said that the Ethiopian government has allocated 1.348 billion ETB to rehabilitate Saudi Arabia returnees.
Nongovernmental Organizations Senior Officer with the Commission, Asmelash Geberehiwot, during a half day workshop organized by CCRDA with a target of promoting safe migration in Ethiopia held yesterday said that the federal, regional governments and other non-governmental organizations are making pledges and preparations to welcome returnees.
According to him, the government has disclosed that it has arranged to lend up to 90 percent of investment cost for Saudi returnees who are interested to engage themselves in investment and small enterprises.
It was noted that the Ethiopian airlines has increased flight trips to Saudi from four to eight per day.
It was noted that as the period set by Saudi government to repatriate undocumented foreigners is fast approaching, Ethiopia has planned to transport its citizens by ships via Djibouti and back their home.
So far over 25,000 Ethiopian migrants have returned home and over 82,000 migrants have secured exit visas, it was noted.
State Minister’s Advisor with Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Tekle Tesfu, on his part said that Ethiopia has inked bilateral labor agreements with Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia; similarly, efforts to sign the agreement with UAE, Lebanon, Bahrain and Oman are consolidated.
It was noted that awareness creative trainings are delivered to labor agents at national level. Over 1,000 youth in Addis have registered to provide volunteer service for the returnees, it was noted.
According to sources, 10,655 Ethiopians have illegally left their country in the first six months of this fiscal year.
In March, Saudi Arabia announced to deport undocumented migrants, granting a 90-day amnesty period in which foreigners could leave without facing a penalty, Walta learnt.