Few Jamaicans in Middle East request gov't help to repatriate

 

As the war in the Middle East intensifies, the Foreign Ministry said it has received a small number of requests for repatriation.

 

Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said hostilities remain far from where Jamaican nationals are located.

 

"We have only had a small number of requests for assistance to date, which has been provided. Currently, we're working on the repatriation of one national in the UAE and assisting another one that is making its way through third-party countries in order to get home and for transit visa arrangements for family members, minors, etc. because sometimes the challenge is how do you get home when you require visas to transit different countries. So we continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to assist our nationals. They are aware of the path if they need help and they have been engaged," she said at Wednesday's post Cabinet press briefing.

 

The United States and Israel first attacked Iran in February, destroying major military, naval and nuclear sites. This triggered retaliatory strikes from Iran, who also targeted US-allied states in Gulf region like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. 

 

The conflict has left millions of people displaced in the region, including more than one-sixth of the population in Lebanon after the war prompted the resumption of the Israel-Hezbollah war. 

 

Despite intermittent pauses, the fighting has continued, leaving ripple effects across the global economy.