ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government announced on Tuesday that it has repatriated more than 27,300 nationals who were stranded in Myanmar and Saudi Arabia during the past five months.
Presenting the ministry's performance report to the House of Peoples' Representatives, the lower chamber of Ethiopia's parliament, Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos said the government repatriated 1,300 nationals who "were in very difficult conditions" in Myanmar.
The Ethiopian nationals were misled by illegal brokers promising employment opportunities in Southeast Asia. Upon arrival, they were taken to unauthorized camps in areas bordering Myanmar and Thailand, where conditions were reportedly severe, according to the report.
As part of the government's citizen-centered diplomatic efforts, the East African country has repatriated more than 26,000 nationals who were stranded in Saudi Arabia during the reported period, Timothewos said.
The foreign minister stressed that the large-scale repatriation effort shows the Ethiopian government's "strong commitment to ensuring that citizens' rights and dignity are protected at home and abroad."
The Ethiopian government has warned the public to remain vigilant against the "deceptive propaganda" of human traffickers and to avoid pursuing illegal employment opportunities abroad, especially in countries that lack overseas employment agreements with Ethiopia. ■