By Don Kamara
The Government of Sierra Leone said on Thursday it had facilitated the reception, temporary care and safe return of nine nationals from member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who arrived in the country from the United States under a bilateral third-country arrangement.
The individuals arrived in Sierra Leone on May 20 and were received and accommodated in line with humanitarian standards and established international protection protocols, the government said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
Authorities, working through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation alongside diplomatic missions and partner institutions, coordinated support for the individuals during their stay. Assistance included temporary accommodation, meals, clothing, health screening and psychosocial services.
Following the completion of administrative, consular and travel arrangements, the nine ECOWAS nationals voluntarily returned to their respective countries of origin, the statement said.
The government said the process underscored Sierra Leone’s commitment to regional cooperation, humanitarian responsibility and the orderly management of migration, adding that it demonstrated the country’s capacity to provide temporary protection while working with regional and international partners to support people in transit.
