Ethiopia Heeds the Impact of COVID-19 on its Nationals Aboard

ENA,April 10/2020 As the death toll due to coronavirus now surged over 97,000 and 1.5 million infections confirmed worldwide, Ethiopia is closely assessing the impacts of the virus on its citizens living abroad.

Speaking to ENA State Minister of Foreign Affirs, Birtukan Ayano said Ethiopians residing abroad, particularly those in the Middle East have been suffering due to the global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

She said Ethiopian embassies and Diaspora associations have started activities to support Ethiopians to deal with the social and economic impacts of coronavirus.

Noting that revised foreign policy which harnessing citizen-centered diplomatic activities, the country’s diplomatic missions are working in close collaboration and hand to hand to support citizens for coronavirus related challenges.

The State Minister, however, noted that the effort is not much enough as unexpected impacts of COVID-19 pandemic rush forward across the world.  

Birtukan indicated that as part of the effort, Ethiopia has returned many citizens to home from Saudi Arabia since outbreak of the virus.

She further stated that the government is looking into the returnees on ways of supporting and rehabilitating them in their homelands.