Latest repatriation effort sets Bahrain returning 301 citizens from the US and Canada

TDT | Washington

Bahrain has evacuated all its citizens from the US and Canada, who wished to return home but were stranded as countries closed borders and grounded flights to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The latest rescue mission also marks the completion of Bahrain’s North American evacuation efforts as it brought back all of the 301 citizens requested to return home.

Bahraini authorities repatriated 61 per cent of its citizens from the North American states, as the remaining 39pc expressed their intent to stay. Bahraini citizens signed up for the evacuation through various mediums including Wejhaty app, embassy’s emergency line, as well as emails from the follow-up office at the Ministry of Further, Bahrain’s embassy to the United States said it distributed personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves, disinfectants, and medicines to all registered citizens there. As a precautionary measure, the embassy also distributed packages of basic foodstuffs to all citizens to meet shortages in the local markets. The embassy urged all those who are yet to register their names to sign up on Wejhaty app or contact the embassy directly and follow the embassy’s accounts on social media, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

The US has announced sweeping travel restrictions in a bid to combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for foreign nationals who have visited China, Iran, European Schengen area, United Kingdom and Ireland. It was earlier reported that Bahrain brought back  3,800 of its citizens from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran following the coronavirus outbreak.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Taskforce to Combat COVID-19, organised the repatriation efforts as part of the International COVID-19 Repatriation Programme (ICRP). At that time, in a briefing, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa Al Khalifa said, “The safe return of citizens will continue in line with the Kingdom’s established timeline, which ends in mid-May.” According to the report of a joint parliamentary-governmental meeting, there are currently 43,699 Bahraini citizens living abroad in various countries, of which more than 3,000 of them want to return home. 

Besides, an evacuation plan submitted to rescue stranded Bahrainis in Iran had called for operating 18 flights until the 28th of May. During a meeting of the legislative and executive authorities, the government also agreed not to reject any requests from any of its citizens to return home. Bahraini authorities had also tasked a foundation under the Justice and Islamic Affairs Ministry to cover the costs of nationals stranded abroad, Bahrain News Agency said.