Four European nations promise Somalians safe passage from Ukraine

Somalia on Tuesday said Hungary, Moldova, Poland and Romania had agreed to give Somali nationals safe passage from Ukraine and arrangements had been made to deal with the surge in numbers of evacuees.

The Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that some citizens had already arrived safely in Poland while others were en route, and others were yet to cross two border points between Ukraine and Poland.

“Our embassies in Brussels and Berlin have been able to provide consular services to such persons unable to cross border points and we urge all Somali nationals who lack identification documents to get in touch with our embassies in Brussels and Berlin,” the ministry said, noting that the embassies were in constant communication with about 280 Somali citizens.

Somalia further appealed to European countries that neighbour Ukraine to respect international humanitarian law and offer unrestricted passage for all Africans trying to cross Ukraine’s border.

There have been numerous reports of racist and unfair treatment of Africans who are trying to leave Ukraine.

Ukrainian police and security personnel are accused of refusing to allow Africans passage towards the Ukraine-Poland border and Polish authorities have also allegedly denied Africans entry into Poland from Ukraine.

Thousands of African students are studying in Ukraine, mostly from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa and other countries.

CGTN/Olajumoke Adeleke