#Headlines

Gov’t repatriates 127 migrants from Tunisia, Libya

Jul 31, 2023, 12:18 PM

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad announced in a news release that through collaborated efforts with International Organisation for Migration (IOM) repatriated 40 migrants from Tunisia in the wee hours of Friday.

The Ministry added it had early on Wednesday repatriated 87 from Libya as part of efforts to protect Gambians.

The full text of the release reads below:

“Following the recent deployment of two officials of The Gambian Embassy in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco to Tunisia to provide consular services to stranded Gambian migrants, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to inform the General Public that, in collaboration with IOM, forty (40) migrants have on Thursday, 27th July 2023 been successfully evacuated from Tunisia and arrived at the Banjul International Airport early hours of Friday morning, 28th July 2023.

A total of fifty-two (52) Gambian migrants were identified and processed in Tunisia by the visiting consular team but twelve (12) out of the total number processed declined to return.

Furthermore, in Libya too, a total of one hundred and sixty five (165) were identified and granted exit visa for repatriation but only those under immigration detention, eighty-seven (87) out of the number agreed to join the flight and they arrived Banjul on Wednesday, 26th July 2033.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reassures the general public that all efforts will be employed to ensure the protection of Gambians and their interests abroad at all times.”