ARRIVAL OF BATSWANA WHO ARE BEING FACILITATED TO SAFELY RETURN TO BOTSWANA

The Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation wishes to inform that the Government of Botswana will facilitate the safe return of ninety-four (94) Batswana who were stranded in various countries, due to COVID-19 related lockdowns and travel restrictions. The group is expected to arrive at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport on 3rd June 2020, at 1545HRS on board an Ethiopian Airlines special flight.

This repatriation exercise was recently announced by His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, during his address to the nation on 30th May 2020.

The 94 passengers, comprising students and Batswana who were overseas either on business or visiting; will be coming from over ten (10) different countries which include, Australia, Canada, China, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The passengers will be quarantined for fourteen (14) days at designated facilities in Gaborone.

This will be the first air repatriation of Batswana since the outbreak of COVID-19. Other repatriation exercises have primarily been in the Southern Africa region and have so far, resulted in over four hundred (400) Batswana and permanent residents being facilitated to safely return home from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.