The United States has announced that over 44,000 of its citizens have been repatriated from 78 countries over the pandemic coronavirus.
The United States Department of State therefore stated that there was no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas.
In a fact sheet from the US Consulate in Lagos, it was stated that as of April 6, the Department of State had repatriated, or helped to repatriate, over 44,000 US citizens from 78 countries since January 29, 2020.
The American citizens were evacuated from: Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus.
Others are Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iraq.
Other countries were: Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan.
The fact sheet further stated: “At our embassies and consulates overseas, our consular teams are working tirelessly to identify transportation options for US citizens seeing to return to the United States. Where commercial transportation options no longer exist, our teams are exploring all possible means to help Americans get home, including charter flights where appropriate.
The US Mission to Nigeria also hinted that it was “organising evacuation flights for American citizens who desire to return to the United States, now that commercial flights are no longer available. The flights will depart from Lagos and Abuja. American citizens who have expressed a desire to depart on these flights are being contacted by our Consular staff. Bearing in mind, that space on the flights is limited, no one should come to the airport if they have not been contacted.
“We strongly encourage all US citizens abroad to register with STEP. State.gov and monitor the relevant Embassy website to ensure they receive the most up to date information.
The United States also used the occasion to declare that it was providing nearly $274 million to help dozens of countries to combat the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), furthering America’s commitment to humanitarian assistance and global health.
“For Nigeria specifically, more than $7 million in health and humanitarian funding will go toward risk communication, water and sanitation activities, infection prevention, and coordination. This assistance joins more than $5.2 billion in US health assistance and more than $8.1 billion in total assistance for Nigeria over the past 20 years,” it said.
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