On Friday, Turkey evacuated around 84 of its stranded citizens who were stranded in Mozambique and South Africa for many weeks amid coronavirus lockdown where both countries seized borders to stop the virus spread.
Elif Comoglu Ulgen who is the Turkey’s Ambassador to South Africa told that the Turks people who were in the following countries have made their travel for various purposes which include tourism, conferences and business, when the lockdown was ordered.
“This morning, 21 Turkey nationals passed Mozambique border entered into South Africa after they had full permissions with the assistance of the Turkish embassy in Maputo,” Ulgen said, adding that 63 other who traveled from different provinces across South Africa, joined by group in Johannesburg.
All Turk travelers forgathered at the offices of the Maarif Foundation in Johannesburg. The ambassador had a briefing with them and after they were briefed and later escorted to the airport.
“Repatriation to all stranded including me as an ambassador and to my consular staff, is just a Eid gift. I appreciate the efforts which embassy staffs have put day and night to come with a successful repatriation and Insha’Allah (God willingly) they will get home safely and with happiness just in time for Eid once they arrive in Turkey,” she added saying that this could be the nest gift we’ll have with full of satisfaction.
She further explained that due to an agreement made between both nations, two Ukrainian are on the be repatriated to Istanbul. After the Ukrainian embassy gets the pair, and later they will be returned home.
On Friday, around 61 South Africans- most of them were found artists caught by the lockdown,
left for Istanbul for Johannesburg on a Turkish Airlines flight, after they were officially permitted.
This made the ties between South Africa and Turkey more strong enjoy strong bilateral relations and cooperation they used for repatriation of the stranded citizens who got stuck one side.