缅北禁地

The 缅北禁地has called for a temporary suspension of flights to give Ethiopian authorities time to safely organize the migrants鈥� repatriation.听听

鈥淐ooperation and open dialogue between border management agencies is critical at this time to ensure everything is being done to halt the spread of COVID-19 and that the movements of people are safe, orderly and regular,鈥� said Maureen Achieng IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission.听

鈥淧re-departure health screenings that are in line with the WHO鈥檚 recommended best practices are a key aspect of a unified approach to dealing with the pandemic鈥澨�听

Last week, IOM and other development partners, working with Dire Dawa city administration, received鈥�2,019鈥疎thiopian returnees from鈥疍jibouti鈥痺ho came through the Dewale border entry point. Another group of鈥�331鈥痑rrived at Moyale entry point from Kenya, with a significant number of infants, children and pregnant and lactating women.听听听听

Close to 2,900 returnees have arrived in Addis Ababa from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the enactment of mandatory quarantine, with an average of 250 returns planned every day in the coming weeks. Ongoing negotiations between the two countries are likely to temporarily put these movements on hold.听听听

These returns are occurring at a time IOM had scaled down Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) movements due to increased risk of transmission of the coronavirus鈥痙isease.听听

Ethiopia recorded its first COVID-19 case on 13 March and the latest update issued by the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), on鈥�13鈥疉pril, confirms鈥�74鈥痗ases and two fatalities.听 A nationwide state of emergency was declared last Wednesday, buttressing a series of enforcement measures announced last month.听听

These include the鈥痗losing of schools, bars and nightclubs,鈥痳egulations on large gatherings and physical distancing, closing land borders, and鈥痑 mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arriving passengers at hotels, and at designated facilities for deportees.听听听

The government, working with partners, is also preparing 30 quarantine sites to cater for the returnees,鈥痑nd since last week IOM is assisting to make the four in Addis Ababa ready to host returnees.听 The arrivals from Djibouti are now accommodated at the University of Dire Dawa, which has been dedicated as a 14-day isolation facility. They were screened for COVID -19 by the Health Bureau, with six suspected individuals now quarantined. 鈥�听听听

鈥淲e provided food and palatable bottled water for the first four days, hand washing facilities, and sanitary pads for women,鈥� said Aaron Manyumbu, head of the IOM sub office in Dire Dawa.听 鈥淚OM will continue to provide bottled water, hygiene kits (clothes inclusive), and onward transportation to respective regions until the end of the 14 days of isolation,鈥� he added.听听听

Arrivals from Saudi Arabia are currently housed at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University quarantine听centre, where IOM donated 2,000 blankets, 1,500 bed sheets and 720听packages听of听soap.听听听听

Working with the government and other partners, IOM will continue to provide support at the site, including registering arrivals and identifying vulnerable returnees, such as unaccompanied migrant children, for further assistance after quarantine.听听