Ethiopia begins repatriating citizens from Lebanon

Ethiopia on Thursday started repatriating hundreds of its citizens working abroad who are stranded because of the coronavirus.

The first 335 Ethiopians arrived back in Ethiopia from Beirut, with hundreds more expected to arrive over the weekend.

Thousands of migrant workers are among the most vulnerable groups as an unprecedented economic and financial crisis in Lebanon along with a global pandemic is forcing these migrants back home.

There are over 250,000 registered migrant workers in Lebanon, a tiny Mediterranean country of over five million people.

They already live and work in conditions rights groups call exploitative because of low wages, long hours and no protection. Now, their conditions are even more vulnerable.

Lebanon's unprecedented foreign currency crunch means employers can no longer pay in dollars. The local currency, pegged to the dollar and stable for nearly 30 years, now costs three times as much on the black market.

Some workers report not being paid at all. Ethiopian domestic workers had been asking to be repatriated after losing their jobs or nearly 60% of their earnings.

Thousands have registered to go home, but exorbitant ticket prices for repatriation flights and quarantine fees delayed trips.

Last week, over a dozen Ethiopians paid some over US$650 to go home and they still need to pay for quarantine once they arrive.

Domestic workers are not protected by labour law and are often tied in a 24-7 work schedule with no right to resign.

A 2016 International Labour Organization study found that out of 1,200 employers surveyed, more than 94% of them withheld their workers passport.

The new economic reality is only making things harder for the overwhelmingly female domestic workers.

Many have not been paid for months or are getting their salaries at the official exchange rate. Others have lost their jobs.

These returnees will be quarantined for two weeks before they are allowed to go home.