COVID-19: 80 Stranded Rwandans in India Evacuated

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Nearly 80 Rwandans who had been stuck in India for three months due to restriction of movement and suspension of international travel have been finally repatriated, according to Rwanda’s embassy in New Delhi.

A special flight operated by RwandAir flew a group of 79 Rwandan nationals and a few Indians who operate business in Rwanda on Thursday from Mumbai to Kigali.

“It’s amazing that Rwandans who were stranded in India and some Indian Nationals who wanted to return to Rda [Rwanda] have arrived safely in Kigali,” Jacqueline Mukangira, Rwanda’s High Commission to India, said.

Many of the Rwandans who were stranded in India are students and patients who went for treatment.

Mukangira told this publication last week that there were about 130 Rwandans who were stranded in India since the closure of international travel, but not all of them were ready to return home by the time the government finalized a repatriation plan.

In April, the government finalised a deal with RwandAir to repatriate Rwandans from abroad, particularly those working and studying in the United States of America.

The airline has been operating flights every Friday to and from Brussels.

The Observer