In a commendable effort, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Friday the successful facilitation of the safe and voluntary return of approximately 400 migrants of sub-Saharan African nationalities who were stranded in Tunisia in recent days.
The IOM revealed in a statement that, over the past three days, it organized “safe and dignified” return flights for 392 migrants stranded in Tunisia, ensuring their repatriation to their respective countries of origin. The returning migrants include individuals from Burkina Faso (163 people), Gambia (165 people), Guinea (7 people), Liberia (1 person), Mali (33 people), and Senegal (23 people).
Upon their arrival in their home countries, all repatriated migrants receive rehabilitation services to support their reintegration into their communities and help them rebuild their lives.
In 2023, the IOM played a crucial role in facilitating the voluntary return of 2,557 migrants from Tunisia to their countries of origin, marking a 45 percent increase compared to the previous year. In 2022, the organization assisted 1,614 migrants in their voluntary return and reintegration process.