Govt updates repatriation schedule; 300 Ugandans return from UAE

The ministry of foreign affairs has released an update of the timetable that will be followed as Ugandans that were stranded abroad due to the prohibition of passenger flights return.

According to the new schedule, tomorrow, Uganda Airlines will ferry a group of 71 Ugandans from Southern Africa and another group of 22 will travel via African Express Airways on the same day.

Those in Oman will return on August 12, Jordan (August 15), Washington DC (August 18), Dubai/Abu Dhabi (August 20 & 24), Saudi Arabia (August 25). For those returning from China, the ministry says the travel means and dates are still "being arranged".

From Doha, Emirates will fly 256 Ugandans on September 11, another group will travel from Dubai on Sept. 24; for Malaysia/Tokyo/Canberra, the travel plan is still being arranged. The same applies to Ugandans coming from Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi, and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, on August 7, the Embassy of Uganda to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully repatriated a total of 300 Ugandan nationals and legal residents who have been stranded in UAE states of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umar Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Alkhaima following the closure of Entebbe International Airport to passenger flights on March 22 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was the second repatriation exercise the Embassy undertook with the first having taken place on July 3, which ensured that 270 Ugandans and legal residents returned home safely.

The Embassy undertook the registration process of Ugandan Nationals who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and coordinated their return aboard Emirates Airlines and arrived at Entebbe at 5:00pm.

The Ugandans returning from the UAE include all categories of people including government officials, businessmen and women, medical doctors, students, and others who had travelled to the United Arab Emirates for various reasons.

After fulfilling the standard procedures issued by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health of Uganda, guidelines by the UAE Government, the Ugandans were seen off at Dubai International Airport in Dubai by the Ambassador to the UAE Zaake Kibedi and other Mission staff.