The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has begun expelling undocumented migrants from the country.
Following Saudi Arabia’s move, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia said efforts will be made to repatriate undocumented Ethiopian nationals from Saudi Arabia.
Demeke Atinafu, Director General of Diaspora Affairs with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the government is working with Saudi Arabia to safely return Ethiopian citizens back to their homes.
More than 1,300 Ethiopians have so far returned home since the start of the measure, according to the official.
After forming a national committee, Ethiopia has been exerting efforts to return its undocumented citizens since the onset of the announcement of a 90-day amnesty granted for irregular migrants by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Arabian government extended the amnesty, which ended last June, for three times.
Over 70,000 Ethiopians returned to their country by taking advantage of the amnesty, according to Office of the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. (FBC)
11 Al-Shabaab militants killed in central Somalia
Somalia National Army (SNA) on Friday said that it killed 11 Al-Shabaab militants and injured several others in a fierce fighting in a town in Hiraan region in central Somalia.
Ahmed Teredisho, a military commander in Hiiraan region central Somalia, said the fighting started when the militants ambushed a convoy of Hiraan region’s Governor Ali Jeyte Osman who was heading to Mahas town for duty from Beledweyne town.
“The terrorists ambushed the convoy of the Governor of Hiraan region and then fighting erupted that left 11 terrorists dead during the confrontation, we lost one soldier and four others injured,” Teredisho said.
He added that the Governor and his delegation safely reached Mahas town. The Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab militants claimed to have killed three SNA soldiers who were with the Governor and also burnt a vehicle on the spot.
Independent sources say that 11 soldiers were injured in the attack.
The militant group frequently overstates the death toll from its attacks. (xinhuanet.com)
Ethiopia embarks on ambitious road map to protect refugees
Ethiopia on Wednesday formally launched the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), which effectively paves the way for the implementation of the nine pledges it made at the leaders’ summit on refugees that was held in New York in September last year.
Through the pledges, Ethiopia seeks to promote refugees’ self-reliance through an improved and sustainable response that combines wider support to host communities, furthering peaceful coexistence and inclusion of refugees into national development plans.
The state minister in the prime minister’s office, Solomon Tesfaye reconfirmed the government’s commitment to a significant shift in the way it responds to the needs of refugees, including a gradual transition from a camp-based protection model to supporting refugee directly within host-communities.
“The Government, while maintaining its doors open to refugees, envisages to gradually put an end to the encampment policy in the next ten years and progressively advance the out of camp and local integration options”, he said. (Sudan Tribune)
Kenyatta sworn in for second term as Kenya’s president
Uhuru Kenyatta has been sworn in for a second five-year term as president of Kenya in a colourful ceremony that few believe will signal the end of political instability in the east African country.
Kenyatta, 56, won a rerun presidential election last month boycotted by the opposition, which said it would not be free and fair.
As the president appeared before the 60,000-strong crowd in Nairobi’s Kasarani stadium for the inauguration, at least three people were reported killed as police fired rifles and teargas to break up supporters gathered a few miles away to hear Raila Odinga, the main opposition leader.
Odinga, 75, spoke briefly before being forced into a car by volleys of teargas from police. He told the crowd he would be “sworn in as president” by his own supporters later this month and called Kenyatta’s government “illegitimate”.
The ceremony was attended by heads of state from across East Africa including Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn. (Agencies)
