Ethiopia repatriates 164 citizens from Lebanon

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia has repatriated 164 citizens from Beirut, capital of Lebanon, due to the security situation in the Middle Eastern country, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.

Teyiba Hassen, Director-General of the Refugees and Returnees Service, and foreign ministry officials welcomed the returnees at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, according to an Ethiopian foreign ministry statement.

The government has been making efforts to repatriate citizens from various countries facing security problems, the statement quoted Hassen as saying on the occasion.

"The Refugees and Returnees Service in collaboration with pertinent bodies will continue repatriating citizens who are living abroad in difficult conditions," she said.

In October 2024, the Ethiopian government repatriated 51 nationals from Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Their return is a testament to the government's commitment to the welfare of its citizens abroad," said the statement.

Data from the International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, suggested that Ethiopians represent one of the largest migrant groups in Lebanon.

Over the weekend, Ethiopia and Somalia also agreed to restore and enhance bilateral ties, marking a significant step in easing recent diplomatic tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations.

The agreement was reached during a meeting in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was on a working visit to Ethiopia.

The leaders held constructive discussions on regional and bilateral issues, aiming to deepen the fraternal bond between their peoples, according to a joint communique released Saturday evening.

Both leaders agreed to "restore and enhance" bilateral relations through full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals. They also emphasised closer collaboration between their diplomatic missions on multilateral and regional matters of mutual interest, the communique said.

Noting that the stability of the region requires the two countries' strong cooperation based on mutual trust, confidence, and respect, the two leaders pledged to strengthen coordination on improving regional relations and fostering common understanding and shared progress.