The Ivorian Government has announced on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 that the repatriation operation in Côte d’Ivoire of five (500) Ivorians in distress in Tunisia, including the financial aid and the savings, which will be granted to them, would cost the West African a little more than one billion FCFA or $1.6millon dollars.
”The whole of this operation as well as the cost of transport, the financial aid and the savings which will be granted to them, will cost Côte d’Ivoire, a little more than one billion FCFA”, said Amadou Coulibaly, the spokesman for the Ivorian government after a council of ministers chaired by the President of the Republic Alassane Ouattara.
Previously, Mr. Coulibaly who is also the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy explained that the Ivorian President has given instructions for financial aid to be granted to Ivorians in distress in Tunisia.
Furthermore, he informed that
”Air Côte d’Ivoire believed to be on a mission to make its returns,” according to the government’s spokesperson.
The information further maintained that out of a workforce of seven hundred and twenty five (725) Ivorians identified by the Ivorian authorities in Tunisia, there are 500 volunteers returning to Côte d’Ivoire.
vory Coast’s national carrier, Air Cote d’Ivoire, is being tasked to aid in returning some 500 citizens, Coulibaly said.
The operation could take place within the next 72 hours.
A Guinean foreign ministry official declared that the authorities had leased an aircraft to bring about 50 Guineans in Tunisia who said they wanted to return home.
The information was confirmed by a senior official at the Conakry airport.
The president’s office issued a statement earlier, saying that Foreign Minister Morissanda Kouyate was heading to Tunisia aboard a government aircraft “to provide urgent support for Guineans” there.
This is Guinea’s first repatriation flight since Saied ordered security forces to take “urgent measures” against “hordes” of sub-Saharan African migrants, accusing them without evidence of causing a wave of crime and plotting to change the country’s demographic make-up.
Many of the estimated 21,000 sub-Saharan African migrants in Tunisia — most of whom are irregular — have lost their jobs and housing overnight.
Harassment on aliens
Others have been stopped by police, and some have reported physical attacks.
Dozens of migrants have flocked to their embassies, particularly those of Ivory Coast and Mali, asking to return home.
Several countries have announced repatriation flights for volunteer returnees.
But there have been delays due to penalties the migrants must pay, which often exceed 1,000 euros ($1,070), an Ivorian diplomat said.
