132 Somalis stranded in Saudi Arabia flown back home

Somalia has started repatriating nationals stranded overseas by coronavirus travel restrictions.

A batch of 132 Somalis were flown back to Mogadishu from Jeddah by a Daalo flight.

Somalia has embarked on a mission to repatriate its citizens across the world. Travel restrictions imposed by foreign countries have made it difficult for Somalis around the globe to travel home.

This morning a batch of 132 Somalis were flown back to Mogadishu from Jeddah by a Daalo flight.

The distribution of Somalis abroad is uncertain, primarily due to confusion between the number of ethnic Somalis and the number of Somalia nationals.

But a 2008 publication estimated the ethnic Somali international migrant population as 1,010,000.

An unspecified number of Somalis are also expected to return from Europe and Asia next week.

The ministry of foreign affairs has said that the Somali government is committed to repatriating its nationals stuck in overseas.

The Somali embassies in Kenya, Turkey and Pakistan have arranged the repatriation flights.

Two planes carrying 114 passengers onboard have landed in Mogadishu and Garowe as part of the evacuation plans earlier this month.

Somalia closed its borders in mid-March as part of measures aimed at preventing the spread of the pandemic. The government also imposed a curfew in Mogadishu last month.

Last month, Chinese billionaire and Alibaba cofounder Jack Ma donated coronavirus-related supplies to countries across the continent.

Somalia received 20,000 testing kits, 100,000 face masks, and 1,000 protective suits and face shields, which the government is expected to distribute to various states, according to the UN. In mid-April, Turkey also dispatched a plane with medical supplies.