ADDIS ABABA, 01 April 2022, (TON): Hundreds of Ethiopians arrived back in Addis Ababa, the first contingent of some 100,000 nationals to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia over the coming months.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said “around 900 returnees, including many mothers with young children, landed at Addis Ababa International Airport throughout the day.”

IOM said in a statement “it is estimated that about 750,000 Ethiopians currently reside in the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) with about 450,000 likely to have travelled to the country through irregular means and will need help to return home.”

Human rights organisations have for several years denounced the detention conditions of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.

Jemila Shafi, one of the returnees from Saudi Arabia said “we were crying daily.”

She said “they were given one loaf of bread and a pot of cooked rice to be shared between 300 people.”

UN migration agency said “returnees were assisted and registered by IOM staff and offered, among others, food, temporary accommodation, medical help and counselling services.”