KATHMANDU: The government has said it has made arrangements to ensure the safety of Nepali nationals stranded at airports in the Middle East amid escalating regional tensions.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Sunday evening, Foreign Minister Balananda Sharma said that as airports remain closed, immediate repatriation is not possible. He said stranded citizens are being kept safely at the respective airports until further notice.
According to him, the Cabinet discussed the impact of the growing tension in the Middle East on Nepal, the government’s response and the situation of Nepali nationals in the region, as well as possible solutions.
The minister said that issues faced by workers departing from Tribhuvan International Airport for Middle Eastern countries have already been resolved through coordination among the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal.
He added that coordination has also been established with ambassadors of concerned countries to address problems faced by workers and passengers stuck in transit.
Those in transit will either be facilitated to reach their destinations or, if unable to travel, will be looked after by the concerned companies or airlines, Sharma said.
He further stated that no casualties involving Nepali nationals in the Middle East have been reported so far and that appropriate arrangements have been made to ensure their safety and health.
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