The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia says in the last three years it has helped over 400,000 Ethiopian migrants from Saudi Arabia who were living in the country illegally.
Meanwhile, most the 400,000 Ethiopians have returned back to Saudi Arabia illegally using human traffickers, according to the statement of the Ministry. It stated that as a result of the global pandemic coronavirus the Ethiopians who illegally entered Saudi are currency facing severe problem.
To protect the right of Ethiopians who legally entered Saudi Arabia and bring back those who are the victims of human traffickers, the Government of Ethiopia has been engaged in continuous discussions with Saudi Government and international organizations dealing with refugee affairs, according to the statement.
The report also indicated that since the outbreak of coronavirus, the Government of Ethiopia has managed to repatriate 3,500 Ethiopian immigrants who were trapped in Saudi Arabia. After quarantining them for two weeks, the returnees have joined their parents in Ethiopia, according to the statement of the Ministry.
Various media reports show that tens of thousands of Ethiopians who illegally entered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are currency found in Saudi jails including some 16,000 in one detention centre at Al Shumasi, near the holy city of Mecca.