Mogadishu (AX) — The Federal Government of Somalia on Tuesday welcomed 170 citizens at Mogadishu airport who were repatriated from Libya, with their return receiving significant assistance from the European Union through its voluntary return programme, enabling them to reunite with their families after months of hardship in North Africa.
The rescue operation, jointly carried out by the federal government and the European Union in Somalia office under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme, was intended to support vulnerable migrants seeking to return to their homeland safely and with dignity.
The returned citizens, including children and young people, endured extremely difficult conditions during their migration journey and the months they spent stranded in Libya.
The Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation, Ali Yusuf Ali Hoosh, said the group had faced serious humanitarian challenges, particularly abuses by migrant-smuggling gangs and extremely harsh conditions in detention centres.
Officials involved in the operation said some of the returnees were suffering from health problems as a result of the hardships and suffering they experienced in Libya.
“The government and partner organisations have prepared assistance programmes to help these returning migrants rebuild their lives in Somalia,” Hoosh said.
The support plan includes healthcare services, the creation of employment opportunities and other assistance intended to aid their recovery and help them become financially self-sufficient.
For its part, the European Union in Somalia described the operation as safe, voluntary and dignified, stressing the importance of protecting migrants from smuggling networks and abuse and reuniting them with their families.
The programme, funded by the European Union, aims to give vulnerable migrants the opportunity to return home and rebuild their lives after the difficulties they experienced abroad.
Hoosh urged Somali youth to completely avoid the dangerous routes used for irregular migration, warning that journeys across the desert and the Mediterranean Sea can expose them to trafficking, exploitation, detention and other life-threatening dangers.
He also encouraged the returning young people never to lose hope, but to take advantage of the various opportunities available inside Somalia.
Several Somali government agencies jointly participated in the reception operation, including the Immigration and Citizenship Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Somali Police Force, with the support of the international partners backing the project.
Libya has long been an important transit route for people seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, including Somalis searching for a better life or fleeing insecurity.
Migrants travelling through Libya frequently face dangers including arbitrary detention, exploitation by smuggling networks and the extremely high risks associated with crossing the sea by boat.
The latest repatriation is part of ongoing efforts by the Somali government and international partners to assist vulnerable citizens stranded around the world, helping them return voluntarily and reintegrate into their communities.
