Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Twenty-four Somali migrants stranded in Tunisia returned to Somalia on Friday through a voluntary repatriation program facilitated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Somalia’s Presidential Envoy for Refugees and Children’s Rights, Mariam Yasin Yusuf, underscored the Somali government’s dedication to bringing Somali nationals back from challenging conditions abroad.

“The Federal Government of Somalia extends its gratitude to the European Union for supporting the return of our citizens. We also appreciate the commitment of international agencies in facilitating this critical program,” said Yusuf.

The repatriation initiative has successfully returned hundreds of Somali nationals from countries such as Libya, Sudan, and Yemen in recent years.

This program addresses the harrowing journeys many Somali migrants have taken to Europe, where countless have lost their lives to perilous conditions, imprisonment, hunger, and, tragically, abuse and torture.

The Somali government remains committed to offering a safer future for returning citizens and mitigating the dangers of irregular migration.