Ethiopia repatriates 320 citizens from Saudi Arabia after they received a royal pardon.
Ahmed Salem
320 Ethiopian citizens have returned home from Saudi Arabia after receiving a royal pardon and the dropping of legal proceedings against them, thanks to the continuous diplomatic efforts of the Ethiopian government.
The returnees arrived at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, where they were received by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye and a number of other relevant officials.
The repatriation process is the result of coordinated efforts between the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ethiopian Embassy in Riyadh, and the Consulate General in Jeddah. These diplomatic moves resulted in the pardoning of 1,655 Ethiopian citizens who were being held in Saudi Arabia, and their release from the legal proceedings they were facing.
The government's commitment to serving the citizen
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that this development reflects the government’s commitment to a citizen-centered diplomatic policy, placing the protection of Ethiopian citizens abroad and safeguarding their interests and safety at the forefront of the country’s foreign policy priorities.
The ministry explained that follow-up efforts are still ongoing to address outstanding consular issues and to strengthen protection measures for Ethiopian citizens residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In the same context, the ministry called on citizens to be wary of misleading offers promoted by human smuggling and irregular migration networks.
These offers are widely circulated on social media platforms, confirming continued cooperation with the relevant authorities to pursue those involved in human trafficking crimes and bring them to justice.
