Kenya struggling to airlift nationals from troubled Lebanon --[Reported by Umva mag]

With Lebanon in crisis, the Kenyan government is struggling to evacuate its nationals from the war-torn Middle Eastern country.

The Kenyan government is finding it difficult to evacuate its nationals from Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries due to the ongoing conflict. Musalia Mudavadi, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, reported on October 17 that despite the efforts of government agencies, obstacles remain.

The foreign minister noted that only one airline currently flies to Beirut, limiting evacuation options. This complicates operations as other countries are also trying to repatriate their citizens.

The Kenyan diplomat added that evacuations are carried out in small groups of 10 to 30 people, which can be time-consuming and costly.

Mudavadi warned that high insurance costs make evacuation difficult. To expedite the process, a multi-agency team has been dispatched to Kuwait to assist the consulate and ensure the safety of Kenyans.

In light of this situation, the government is working on a rapid census of Kenyans in the region, as many are not registered.

An initiative has been launched for ambassadors to identify nationals in their countries.

Mudavadi also advised Kenyans to avoid travel to conflict zones until the situation stabilises, noting that Kenya remains committed to protecting its citizens.

He said the national treasury has earmarked 100 million shillings ($769,000) to support the evacuation, but other options such as sea evacuations are being considered due to a lack of available flights.

Nairobi has already identified 6,709 Kenyans who wish to return and has launched an appeal to register for evacuation by October 12.

The situation in Lebanon is worrying due to the escalation of violence since October 7. Other African countries such as Nigeria and Ethiopia have already evacuated their citizens from Lebanon.

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