161 migrants from Somalia repatriated from Libya

6/12/2024 6:05

        Somalia on Thursday announced that it successfully brought back 161 of its citizens stranded in Libya through the United Nations-backed Voluntary Humanitarian Return program.
        Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said 74 of those nationals returned to Hargeisa in northwestern Somalia, while 87 others were welcomed back to Mogadishu, the country's capital, as part of a broader effort to support reintegration and recovery.
        The official described their return as a significant milestone in addressing the challenges of irregular migration and protecting 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 issued in Mogadishu.
        The repatriation was funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN migration agency. Most of the migrants aboard Thursday's charter flight were young men and women under the age of 30, who had been stranded in Libya for several months.
        IOM Chief of Mission in Somalia Manuel Marques Pereira said the UN migration agency is committed to the safety and well-being of all migrants moving through voluntary humanitarian returns.
        "Our partnership with Somalia and the EU has already allowed us to assist 600 Somali migrants stranded in Libya. In the coming months, we will assist hundreds more returning from Libya through this partnership," Pereira added.
        Each year, hundreds of Somali migrants embark on irregular journeys along what is known as the Northern Mediterranean Route, passing through multiple countries in the hope of reaching Europe.
        According to the IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix report published in July, more than 1,500 Somali migrants were stranded in Libya, many living in dangerous and precarious conditions.